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SALT LAKE CITY — Charges have been filed against a Cottonwood Heights man accused of sexually assaulting a teen girl in a group home.
Kenneth James Vester, 48, was charged Monday in 3rd District Court with four counts of rape, a first-degree felony.
Vester, who is associated with a facility in Riverton that houses juvenile girls, is accused of raping a 15-year-old girl at the group home on multiple occasions from Jan. 1 through March 30, according to charging documents. The assaults typically happened when Vester took the girl to appointments and would then take her to a park, the charges state.
“(The girl) stated that every time Vester took her out alone, he had sex with her,” the charges state.
During one incident, while the girl was trying to fight off Vester, he told her, “I don’t care if you want to do this or not,” according to the charges.
Vester also told her “that if she told anyone about him having sex with her, something bad would happen to (her),” the charges state.
At the time of his arrest, Riverton police stated they feared there could be more victims.
Prosecutors have requested Vester be held on $500,000 bail and be required to wear a GPS monitor if he is able to post it.
