This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
A Utah County man has been charged with drugging a woman at his home, then tying her up and raping her, before she managed to text a friend to summon the police.
Nicholas Charles Leippe, 41, was charged Monday in 4th District Court with aggravated kidnapping, forcible sodomy and two counts of rape, all first-degree felonies, as well as third-degree felony aggravated assault and class B misdemeanor contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
Police have not described the relationship between Leippe and the 18-year-old woman, except to say that he had, in the past, been in a position of special trust when she was a juvenile and that she had lived at his West Mountain home, which is located west of Payson.
On the night of Feb. 20, the woman went to Leippe's home to pick up some of her belongings, and she and Leippe ate and watched a movie, court documents state.
At some point, Leippe gave her alcohol "and possibly some other substances in the form of pills," court documents state.
Leippe then took the woman to a bedroom and tied her to a bed with belts and twine, court documents state. She was tied up for "many hours," during which Leippe did not untie her except to let her use the bathroom, court documents state.
The woman was "very intoxicated and was in and out of consciousness," court documents state. While she was tied up, Leippe performed sexual acts on her without her consent, and "when she did not have the ability to consent," court documents state.
When Leippe was on the phone in another room, the woman was able to text a friend for help.
On Feb. 21 at about 10:50 a.m., the friend called police, who arrived to find the woman tied with belts to the bed and Leippe trying to hide evidence, court documents state.
A Utah County sheriff's deputy wrote in a jail booking statement that the woman was partially dressed with belts wrapped tightly around her ankles, and a belt and a cord around one of her arms. She told the officer that as police were preparing to enter the home, Leippe was trying to untie her and attempting to hide the items used to bind her.
The deputy wrote that he observed marks on the woman's ankles and swelling in her feet from being wrapped so tightly.
Leippe was taken to the Utah County jail, where he was being held in lieu of $500,000 bail, cash only.
During his initial court appearance Monday, a judge ordered the bail amount to remain. Leippe will appear in court again Wednesday for a scheduling hearing.