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VERNAL — A Vernal man was charged Monday with raping and giving drugs to a 15-year-old girl.
Kenneth John Zufelt, 61, is charged in 8th District Court with human trafficking of a child, rape, two counts of object rape and forcible sodomy, first-degree felonies; two counts of drug possession, a class A misdemeanor; plus marijuana possession and possession of drug paraphernalia, class B misdemeanors.
On July 19, Zufelt met a 15-year-old girl and "sent text messages to the victim to engage in sexual activity," according to charging documents, which do not specify how he came in contact with the girl.
When the two met, Zufelt gave the girl methamphetamine, which she believed "may have laced her with an unknown substance because she became debilitated," the charges state.
The girl was then sexually assaulted, police say. When Uintah County sheriff's deputies served a search warrant on Zufelt's bedroom, they reported finding meth, ecstasy, marijuana and drug paraphernalia.
Zufelt is being held in the Uintah County Jail without bail.
