Police believe Brian "Chubbs" Mask, 25, of East St. Louis, Ill., is a bona fide magazine salesman. But while Mask was knocking on doors Monday evening, police say he attacked a 58-year-old woman living alone in the northeast part of the city.

"Part of his pitch was that he needed this woman's name on paper to indicate that he had talked to her," said Sgt. Gregg Ludlow. "Once he was inside, there was a struggle. He subdued her, drugged her and took her into a back bedroom where he sexually assaulted her."

During the sexual assault, Mask allegedly held the woman by the throat, according to a probable-cause statement filed in 4th District Court. When the woman struggled to get away, Mask began punching her in the face, splitting open her face and knocking her unconscious.

"It is believed the suspect left the unconscious victim for dead," the probable-cause statement says.

The woman was transported to American Fork Hospital, where doctors treated her for an injured mouth and teeth, and stitched up her face.

Police later found other neighborhood residents who had seen a salesman and had conversations with him.

One of those neighbors was Jamie Reece, who told The Salt Lake Tribune that Mask came to her door and acted strangely. She said Mask told her that he had been selected for an internship with the British Broadcasting Corporation and needed to practice public speaking.

Mask also told Reece that he needed to do certain activities with people to earn "points." He pulled out a chart that specified finding a ladybug, which would net him 40 points, and "hot rodding" in the street.

The man at one point asked Reece if she liked chicken. When she replied that she did, he tried to link arms with her and began doing what she described as a "chicken dance."

Reece eventually asked Mask what he wanted, and he said he was selling magazines and books. She asked him to leave and said he sounded offended and asked what he did wrong. He then told her he wanted to get into her garage so he could find some things to sell.

When Reece again told Mask to leave, he did. She said that early on in their encounter, the 6-foot-2, 275-pound man made her nervous.

"I had a really bad feeling about him," she said. "After I talked to him about one minute, I started having the thought that if he were to attack me, I couldn't fight him off."

The woman who was attacked lived just a couple of houses from Reece.

After police issued a countywide call, Lehi police arrested Mask at a bus station. During questioning by American Fork police, Mask allegedly admitted hitting and choking the woman, but denied any sexual assault, according to the probable-cause statement.

Mask was booked into the Utah County jail.

sgehrke@sltrib.com