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A New York City couple has been charged by Utah authorities with sexually assaulting a woman during the Sundance Film Festival, having allegedly met her in a bar, given her drinks and drugs, and then asking her to participate in a "threesome."
Anne Hardcastle, 27, and Michael Taylor, 45, each were charged last week in 3rd District Court with one count of first-degree felony object rape and second-degree felony forcible sexual abuse.
Hardcastle is also charged with one count of first-degree felony forcible sodomy.
Arrest warrants in the amount of $100,000 were issued for the couple on Friday. New York City Department of Corrections records show they were arrested and booked into a Manhattan jail facility the same day.
Deputy Summit County Attorney Joy Natale said Wednesday that both defendants had waived extradition and arrangements were being made to bring them to Utah.
The charges followed six months of Instagram correspondence between Hardcastle and the alleged victim, who claims she "blacked out" in their hotel room and that any sexual activity had occurred without her knowledge, awareness or consent.
On Jan. 26, a Park City police officer met at a hospital with the alleged victim — a Utahn in her early 20s — who appeared to the officer to be under the influence of some type of drug, charges state.
The woman was covered with scratches, bruises, suction marks and bites, and she complained of vaginal pain, charges state.
The alleged victim told the police officer she had gone with friends to a Park City bar to listen to a band, when she was approached by a man and woman, later identified as the defendants, who introduced themselves, bought rounds of tequila and invited the alleged victim to a Sundance after-party, charges state.
After the alleged victim agreed to go with them, the couple said they needed to stop at their hotel room to get something.
At the hotel, the couple gave the alleged victim Ecstasy and more alcohol, then began suggesting that she participate with them in the "threesome," charges state.
The alleged victim told police that this made her feel uncomfortable and she sent text messages to two friends, saying they might need to come and pick her up, charges state.
Soon after sending the texts, the alleged victim said everything "went black," according to charges.
She woke up in bed with Hardcastle, and called an Uber driver to pick her up and take her to a friend's house.
While at the hospital, the alleged victim realized that Hardcastle had sent a request to follow her on Instagram. During the next six months, the alleged victim corresponded with Hardcastle about what happened that night at the hotel.
Hardcastle admitted that both she and Taylor had performed several sex acts on the alleged victim, charges state.
When the alleged victim asked Hardcastle what had caused the bruises and scratches all over her body, Hardcastle, according to charges, replied: "You said you liked it rough and so I gave you what you wanted."