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SALT LAKE CITY — Two men accused of dragging a young boy on a leash and tying him to a tree while they smoked marijuana now face criminal charges.
Richard Marsh, 28, and Paul Rapp, 34, were each charged Thursday in 3rd District Court with child endangerment, a third-degree felony, and child abuse, a class A misdemeanor. They also face charges of drug possession and possession of drug paraphernalia, class B misdemeanors.
The two men were reportedly crossing the street near 300 West and 500 South on Tuesday with Marsh's 3-year-old son when witnesses saw the boy trip. Rapp dragged the child partway across the street, over the curb and through about 20 feet of wood chips, according to police.
Once on the other side, a witness told police Rapp secured one end of the leash to a tree and the two men sat down, loaded a pipe with what appeared to be marijuana and began to smoke, the charges state.
The witness called police and watched as Rapp threw the pipe away when an officer arrived, according to charging documents.
Marsh allegedly told officers he had marijuana in his pocket and that he and Rapp had been smoking it while they waited for a bus. Police said they located the discarded pipe nearby, loaded with a green leafy substance.
Marsh also told officers that Rapp had dragged the boy "for a little bit."
When an officer asked the 3-year-old if he had any "owies," the boy pointed to his legs and a large, fresh abrasion on his back, the charges state.
