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PROVO — A Pleasant Grove man admitted to holding his girlfriend in his home, handcuffing her, putting a gun to her head and threatening to harm or kill her.
Hector Ortega, 44, pleaded guilty on Jan. 17 to aggravated kidnapping, a second-degree felony, and aggravated assault, a third-degree felony.
He was initially arrested for investigation of attempted murder, but that charge was not filed. Two additional counts of aggravated assault, a third-degree felony, were dismissed as part of a plea deal.
Ortega's plea statement said officers responded to a domestic violence complaint at his home on April 25, 2022, and that he held the victim there until he was informed police were outside the home.
A police booking affidavit from that day said a man called 911 after Ortega pointed a gun at him when he had knocked on Ortega's door.
The affidavit and charging documents say Ortega tried to suffocate the woman with a pillow, choked her and forced her into a bathtub where he threatened to electrocute her. Police were able to make phone contact with Ortega and his girlfriend and told Ortega to let her go, which he did, the affidavit said.
Charging documents said detectives learned the woman had moved to Utah from Ecuador, leaving her fiancé in Ecuador, and began a romantic relationship with Ortega but had recently told Ortega she wanted to break up.
Ortega is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 28 by 4th District Judge James Brady.
