Posted on 07/21/2012 7:23:50 AM PDT by Colofornian
SALT LAKE CITY — A GOP activist who prosecutors say kidnapped and raped women that he met online and at church functions has been arrested and charged with 23 felonies.
He appears to have targeted mostly LDS young adult women.
Gregory Nathan Peterson, 37, of Orem, was charged Wednesday with seven counts of rape, three counts of object rape, two counts of aggravated kidnapping, nine counts of forcible sexual abuse, forcible sodomy, assault, burglary and sexual battery.
Peterson is a GOP activist who held political events at his cabin in Heber City, 10160 E. Ridge Pine Drive, the same place where prosecutors allege he took at least two of his victims after kidnapping them and then raped them. One of those attacks, according to investigators, happened just one day after a political event.
Peterson's online history
Investigators have identified at least four victims dating back to March of 2011. Peterson met three of the victims on an online dating site and another at a church function, according to the charges.
Prosecutors would not say Thursday which online dating services Peterson used. However, he had profiles on at least two online dating sites, LDSSingles.com and LDSLinkup.com. His last activity on LDSSingles.com was Wednesday before he was arrested.
On his dating profile, in which he used the profile name, "oddsrgoodbutgoodsrodd," Peterson stated that he had a LDS temple recommend and served an mission to Venezuela and also noted in his profile that he "regularly attends church."
"I have an open heart and an open mind, and I've been told that the best relationships on here come when the girl initiates contact with the guy," he wrote. "I have open heart to all situations and circumstances, so long as you want to have a family and bring that family back to God."
Peterson also says in his profile that he's looking for a woman who's into "physical fitness" and is under 35 so he can start a family with her soon.
By Thursday afternoon, Peterson's profile had been taken offline.
Allegations against Peterson
Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill said his office considered filing charges in cases involving five women, but did not have strong enough evidence in one of the incidents.
One of the four women first went to the Wasatch County Attorney's Office but prosecutors there declined to file charges, Gill said. She then went to the Unified Police Department in March, where investigators started putting together pieces of information from several alleged victims.
Once investigators in Salt Lake County began sharing information on the cases, they realized they were all looking at the same person, which made it a stronger case for prosecutors, Gill said.
"I saw a pattern that was not available to (Wasatch County Attorney) Scott (Sweat)," he said. "The strength of four victims coming forward speaks for itself."
But once Salt Lake County detectives realized what was going on, Gill said Wasatch County investigators were helpful in sharing the information they had already collected.
On March 26, 2011, a woman told police she met Peterson at a church function in Draper and agreed to go to a movie with him. As they began driving, however, Peterson went in a different direction than the movie theater. He told the woman he was taking her to his cabin in Heber, the charges state.
When the woman told him to turn around, police say he told her he had a concealed weapons permit and pointed to the car's console.
During the drive, Peterson forced the woman to commit lewd acts and "smacked her across the face" for not doing one correctly, the charges state. He again allegedly "smacked her in the face with his backhand" at the cabin. The woman later told police at that point "she did not want to get hit again and did anything the defendant told her to do."
Peterson pointed out loaded weapons in the room and raped the woman and held her in the cabin overnight, according to the charges.
On July 1, 2011, Peterson hosted about 300 Republican lawmakers — including Sen. Orrin Hatch, Rep. Jason Chaffetz and Gov. Gary Herbert — at his Heber cabin in 2011 for the Rocky Mountain Conservatives annual convention and barbecue. It's an event Peterson has hosted before.
Republican politicians Thursday described Peterson as a conservative activist who made himself out to be more than he really was. They say he took credit for things he didn't do, such as raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for candidates. He tried to give the impression he was wealthy, but they say they doubt that is the case.
On July 2, 2011, prosecutors say Peterson arranged to go to a movie and dinner with another woman he met online. He allegedly drove the woman from Sandy to his cabin in Heber City against her will. Peterson displayed a handgun in his car and threatened to have the woman deported because of an expired visa if she did not cooperate, the charges state.
Peterson allegedly held the woman hostage at his cabin overnight and sexually assaulted her. The next day, he took her to his mother's house in Lewiston, Cache County, where she was held hostage for two days and repeatedly assaulted, according to court documents. He also is accused of verbally assaulting the woman, at times yelling, "When I'm talking to you, look at me!"
Peterson followed the same woman to her Salt Lake County home and sexually assaulted her again, according to the charges.
A third woman said she met Peterson online and went on a lunch date with him on Dec. 11, 2011. When he arrived at her West Jordan residence, he assaulted her, court records state.
On April 21, 2012, a fourth woman who met Peterson online also had a lunch date with him. Prosecutors say Peterson pushed the woman into the bedroom of her Salt Lake home and attempted to assault her.
U.S. marshals arrested Peterson Wednesday night and booked him into the Salt Lake County Jail. He was being held Thursday on $750,000 bail.
Investigators say if there are any other potential victims, they should contact police.
Peterson's history
Meanwhile, Gill said whatever political ties Peterson did or didn't have, had no influence on the charges that were filed.
"I don't care if you're a Democrat, Libertarian, Socialist or Republican. This conduct by itself is serious. I have four victims who have come forward and made some serious allegations. If you violate the law in this fashion in our jurisdiction, you will be prosecuted regardless of who you are or whatever your affiliation may or may not be," he said.
The Utah Rape Recovery Center expressed a similar message in a prepared statement, asking the public to consider the victims, "their needs and the notion that anyone — no matter social, political, economic or religious status — is capable of committing acts of sexual violence."
"These cases show a clear pattern of Mr. Peterson working to win his victims' respect and trust in a deeply conniving way," said Holly Mullen, the center's executive director.
According to Peterson's Facebook page, he has been a certified financial planner and owner of Peterson Wealth Management in Orem since 2007.
Peterson earned a bachelor’s degree in global economy from BYU and an MBA in finance and entrepreneurship from the Marriott School of Management at BYU, where he was a dean’s scholar.
In 2006, Peterson filed for divorce from his wife. The petition was eventually withdrawn. But in 2009 he filed for divorce again and this time the couple went through with it.
On June 12, 2012, a woman filed a civil stalking injunction against Peterson in 3rd District Court and asked for a protective order. On July 9, the injunction was granted. As part of the ruling, Peterson denied the stalking allegations against him but stipulated to the protective order, according to court records.
He also has his own YouTube channel where he posted comedy sketches, including one in which he impersonates President George W. Bush as part of a BYU charity event.
The charges against Peterson include: seven counts of rape, a first-degree felony; three counts of object rape, a first degree felony; two counts of aggravated kidnapping, a first-degree felony; forcible sodomy, a first-degree felony; nine counts of forcible sexual abuse, a second-degree felony; burglary, a second-degree felony; assault, a class B misdemeanor; and sexual battery, a class A misdemeanor.
Contributing: John Daley
They sure made a big point that he was a GOP activist, which has nothing to do with his crimes. I hope they throw away the key and make sure this scum never sees the light of day again. He is one small step from a serial killer in my opinion.
“So you claim that the official Mormon church, which officially owns KSL and produced this article, is guilty of “severe liberal media bias?””
No, that is not what I was claiming, I’m claiming the journalist Pat Reavy is guilty of it. I also couldn’t believe that you were seriously accusing fellow posters of trying to protect a rapist’s reputation because they pointed out bias in the repeated and insignificant references to the GOP. I see you were because you again accused someone of siding with the rapist further down the thread. Your accusation is repulsive.
Not all GOP activists are rapists.
Go back to Du where those filled with hate reside.
Who made the claim they were?
(You're addressing a straw man argument nobody has claimed)
But for the one who appears to be such a rapist, you're not standing by his side as his advocate, are you?
Should we not condemn rape?
Should we not stand by the victims?
Where are your words of advocacy for the victims?
Why do we only see apparent advocacy for this accused rapist?
This all comes across quite striking as to where your priorities lie (so please address those priorities). Because you're giving off a few hints that your priorities lie with protecting the reputation of GOP activists.
(And if you're going to keep the focus of this thread only on the political links of this story...vs. the criminal justice component and the compassion on behalf of the victims... how is that going to come across to undecided female posters and lurkers reading this thread?)
Per the Deseret News -- which is also owned by the Lds church (many of the DesNews writers' copy winds up @ KSL):
Pat is a police and crime reporter. He interned at KSL Radio in 1989. He was hired by KSL Radio for a part-time position in 1991 and later a full-time position a couple of months later. Pat was hired by the Deseret News in 2000.
Source: Pat Reavy
So Pat Reavy has been employed by either DesNews or KSL for over 20 years. Almost ALL of their long-time journalists -- at least those still with them -- are Mormons...most are conservative Lds.
Do you see how silly you look making unwarranted accusations?
I also couldn’t believe that you were seriously accusing fellow posters of trying to protect a rapist’s reputation because they pointed out bias in the repeated and insignificant references to the GOP
IF that is their ONLY reaction to this story, then, YES, it provides key hints that tends to give off the fragrance of their priorities.
Rktman's post #3 was somebody who -- in his/her very first words -- showed concern for the victims ("Prayers for them for sure") He then went on to express his concerns about GoP references.
I think that was balanced.
In stark contrast, we see people coming onto this thread without nary a concern about either the victims or stating ANYTHING negative about the perpetrator. And their LONE expressive interest seems to be ONLY political -- how it effects the GoP reputation.
That is expressed advocacy for BOTH the GoP AND the rapist.
Where's the balance? Why can't more posters -- like rktman -- at least acknowledge the victims here? When a Holmes thread is posted, ya better believe much of the comments are negative toward the perp from a criminal justice angle.
Yet surprisingly whenever we see Mormon perp stories, there's ALWAYS a cadre of Mormon allies who come on board...100% neglect the victims...100% neglect saying ONE THING NEGATIVE about the perp...and then they proceed to either try to protect MormonISM as a system...or, in the case of this particular thread, try to protect the GoP political system reputation (and/or Romney).
It's frankly quite pathetic. And if this is the "compassion" GoP people display toward female victims of sexual violence, 'tis yet ANOTHER reason I will be leaving the GoP once Romney is officially nominated...and will advocate that OTHERS prayerfully consider doing so as well. (But please: Don't anybody become a Democrat...which is much worse)
You disgust me. I don’t know what your problem is with Mormons but you are so obsessive that you would probably post an article about a Mormon’s second cousin doing something illegal if it suited your agenda.
And it’s clever of you to post your news items in the religion forum. You’re immune from personal attacks here.
Why not be a big boy and post them in the news forum where the grownups hang out?
YOU are accusing other freepers of using strawmen...
YOU are accusing other freepers of unfounded accusations...
YOU are accusing other freepers of being silly...
And YOU are sitting in judgement of other freepers moral values...
Goodbye, have a nice evening.
Well...let's see...per the article: A GOP activist who prosecutors say kidnapped and raped women that he met online and...
at
Hey, Chuck, I tried to help your discernment level with the all caps and extra-large font.
You see, when a story mentions...
...the Lds church three times...
...an Lds temple recommend...
...a Mormon missionary who served his mission in Venezuela...
...that he targeted LDS women...
...an Lds singles Web site (twice)..
...along with another Lds specific Web site...
...then it qualifies for the
[Tell us, Chuck, have you been consistent and ever complain about even ONE of those Roman Catholic abuse stories winding up on the RELIGION section? No? Why not?]
OH...and another article on Peterson also said he attended the Mormon school, BYU.
Bottom line, Chuck: I don't need your "permission" to put an article with at least nine specific religious references in the "Religion" section just because, per your level of discernment, you don't quite think it qualified as being "religious" enough...
Post #28 applies to you as well...
You are such a chicken. Post your news articles in the news forum rather than hiding behind the protection of the religion forum.
NoLibZone said: "Not all GOP activists are rapists." -- and I simply requested him to name any single post or poster on this thread who made such an accusation!
So...I was merely responding to NoLibZone's accusation (#23) that somebody here was coloring all GoP activists as rapists.
Get your accusation ducks in order...here...Or, since you've now come to NoLibZone's defense, are YOU now echoing NoLibZone's accusation? Which post? Which poster? Or is it the article itself?
YOU are accusing other freepers of being silly...
Well, yes, you are...You claimed in post#12 -- which you clarified in post #22 as to whom who were talking about -- that a 20+ year journalist of the Lds church owned KSL/DesNews was "guilty" of "blatant, severe liberal media bias".
Any Mormons or those in Utah want to go on the record with any info that ANY of the Lds church owned media journalists are "blatant, severe liberals?"
YOU are accusing other freepers of unfounded accusations...
Well, don't just accuse away with a generic accusation (Prove it!)
And YOU are sitting in judgement of other freepers moral values...
Which means YOU are sitting in judgment of my moral values expressed on this thread -- something you just accused me of...If that is so bad, then don't ever accuse Obama of doing anything immoral...or don't accuse the pro-abort people of doing anything immoral...and stop making such accusations yourself...because you've just refuted yourself in doing the exact thing you accuse me of!
What are we to do...Listen to what you preach ("Don't" discern "moral values of others") ... Or what you practice (judging my moral values)????
I DID post two news articles today -- one on this very Peterson story Romney, Utah politicians denounce accused rapist's actions [the other story was: Former Boy Scout leader sent to prison for making child porn].
I haven't seen your comments in siding with the perps on those threads yet...What? Were you just ignorant these were posted in the News section; or is it a courage shortfall issue on your part????
Please...go bump those threads and express your perp advocacy there!!!
What in the heck are you talking about? perp advocacy? That comment makes no sense.
Kudos for posting some of you anti-Mormon threads in news. This one belongs there too. Thanks for your time.
Nobody?
Where do you live in a vacuum?
I genuinely believe you are ill and don’t think it would serve either one of us to continue the discussion.
Best wishes to you.
Who said they were?
Name names if that is the case.
Go back to Du?
What is that an ice cream parlor?
I have an idea, why not dispute the evidence presented that this GOP activist, who is a mormon. is not a rapist as shown.
Is he not a GOP activist is that part of the story incorrect?
Is he not a mormon is that part of the story incorrect?
Are the authors of the story not an lds owned conglomerate?
Just which part is incorrect that would apparently cause such agitation on your part?
Are you as agitated when stories are posted about Catholics, Baptist or say Lutherans are posted?
Is this a special case because a particular candidate you maybe supporting also happens to have the same belief system?
Why is it that this apparently bothers you above all else?
Hum?
Jane one has to wonder what your problem is with posting articles about rapists who are identified many times by his religion in the story in the religion forum.
If you have a problem with the category ask the admins to move it somewhere else.
The larger question is why you are apparently focused on the poster of the thread and not the victims of the crime directly and the black mark it leaves on the GOP.
Where is your concern for the people involved?
It seems that you could do one of several things if you chose, either re-post in the news section or find a related story and post it in the news section or complain to the admins to move the story.......by just posting and complaining is really not very adult like.
Jean, you are interesting.
There have been four (maybe more) stories posted in various threads about perps, yet you seem to be only focused on the poster not the victims who apparently are mostly mormons.
Why is that?
Go ahead and continue your false accusations, false conclusions, and ad hominen personal attacks, that’s all that’s in your hostile arsenal.
Oooh, colofornian has backup. Good for him.
I have no time for you, thanks for your input and have a nice day.
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