Utah GOP operative denies sexual assaults

Source: AP

SALT LAKE CITY -- A Republican Party activist denies allegations of sexual assault from four women and maintains they are trying to victimize him, his lawyer said Friday.

Gregory Nathan Peterson was jailed Wednesday on 23 rape and other charges and is due in 3rd District Court on Monday.

The charges filed by Salt Lake County's chief prosecutor included alleged assaults that took place outside of his jurisdiction, and Peterson's lawyer maintains that other prosecutors who fielded complaints from two of the women declined to file any charges.

"They declined to prosecute for lack of evidence -- and there's a reason for that," attorney Gerald Salcido said Friday. "That lack of evidence will be coming out."

Prosecutors in Wasatch and Cache counties, where two of the four women reported being assaulted, said they agreed to let Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill take over the case. The charges against Peterson were based on assaults alleged to have occurred over the past year in all three counties.


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