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SANDY — A gang leader being investigated in the killing of a 15-year-old Riverton girl was charged Tuesday with kidnapping and torturing another woman who he claimed owed him money.
The alleged crimes occurred the same day Anne Grace Kasprzak was killed. Some of the elements of the brutal crime appear to be similar to what happened to Kasprzak. Both victims, for example, may have been beaten until they were unconscious, and were then transported to another location in a tarp or blanket.
A woman identified as S.H. told police that on March 10 she was knocked unconscious, bound and transported with a blanket over her head to a home in Salt Lake County where she was forced to stand in front of a dart board.
A woman identified as S.H. told police that on March 10 she was knocked unconscious, bound and transported with a blanket over her head to a home in Salt Lake County where she was forced to stand in front of a dart board. She said darts were thrown at her, piercing the skin of her upper body.
The woman was struck repeatedly in the head and was then transported to another location where her head was shaved before she was released, according to charges filed in 3rd District Court.
The woman told police that Daniel Robert Ferry, 33, threatened to kill her or hurt her family if she told anyone what had happened. The ordeal lasted approximately 12 hours, the charges state.
The day before, prosecutors say Ferry contacted a woman identified as M.D. and told her that S.H. owed him money. Ferry threatened M.D. that if she didn't get the money from her, he would go to her house "and hurt her children and parents if she did not comply with his orders," a court affidavit states.
Ferry told her that he wanted "$200 worth of revenge" from S.H. and offered a third person drugs to bring S.H. to him, according to prosecutors.
Ferry told her that he wanted "$200 worth of revenge" from S.H. and offered a third person drugs to bring S.H. to him, according to prosecutors. When S.H. arrived, Ferry allegedly approached her while she was in a car and punched her in the side of her head, knocking her unconscious. Ferry and another man then dragged her into a home and beat her, the affidavit states.
Ferry ordered M.D. to tie the victim's hands and feet together and transport her to another house. After Ferry threw darts at S.H., the woman fell to the ground and he picked her up and beat her again, according to court documents.
Prosecutors say Ferry then ordered M.D. to beat S.H. until she gave him the money. M.D., who was crying and told Ferry she didn't want to participate, took photos of the woman's injuries and sent them to Ferry "to prove that she was complying with his orders and asked if that was enough," the affidavit states. M.D. and a third person then shaved off S.H.'s hair, took photos and sent them to Ferry.
Ferry, of Sandy, was charged Tuesday with aggravated kidnapping, a first-degree felony, and tampering with a witness, a third-degree felony.
Ferry was arrested in March for investigation of murder in Kasprzak's death. Her body was found in the Jordan River on March 11.
Investigators say Kazprzak was at Ferry's house, 9997 S. Poppy Lane (865 East), with several other people, when the teen rejected Ferry's sexual advances. Ferry reacted by smashing her head into a wall, according to a search warrant filed in the case. Police say Kazprzak was possibly beaten until she was unconscious.
Ferry and two others then wrapped her in a tarp, carried her to a car, took her to the Jordan River Parkway, beat her to death as well as to the point of her face being unrecognizable, and tossed her body in the Jordan River, according to court documents.
No charges, however, have yet been filed in connection with Kasprzak's death.
Ferry remains in the Salt Lake County Jail. A judge Tuesday signed a motion to temporarily restrict Ferry's access to phone, mail and jail visitation privileges. Prosecutors filed the motion to prevent Ferry from communicating with or retaliating against witnesses and victims in the case.
"The defendant is a known 'high-ranking' VLT (Vario Loco) gang member and the witnesses in this case fear retaliation for coming forward with information regarding this crime," prosecutors argued.
On Monday, two people went to the house of M.D.'s mother and asked to speak to M.D. about the girl whose head was shaved. They told the mother that they had been hired by Ferry, the affidavit states.
Veanuia Vehekite, 30, was also arrested for investigation of murder in connection with Kazprzak's death. A witness told police that Vehekite helped move an unconscious Kasprzak from a home where she had been assaulted, a police report states. The witness also said Vehekite left the home with two men who returned a few hours later with blood on their clothes.
Email:benwood@desnews.com
