All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
(Billings, MT) – Accused of taking his victim from her mother’s house in Lander, and holding her against her will at his residence in Montana, 59-year-old Adolfo Vargas Lepe faces a kidnapping charge.
A trial date of August 28 has been set for the case and is expected to take three days, according to court documents filed on July 10.
In April, Lepe reportedly threatened the victim over the phone to the point that she did not believe she had any other options but to go with him from Lander back to his residence in Roberts, Montana, for her safety and her family’s safety.
The mental and physical abuse allegedly began within two days of returning to Lepe’s home, according to the affidavit filed on June 5. She was left without a functioning cell phone and could only leave the residence under Lepe’s supervision.
He, at one point, held a 9mm handgun on her and “threatened to shoot her.” Instead, he struck her on the head and back with the gun. He put down the handgun only to pick up a .22 caliber rifle, which he fired three shots at her with. One shot hit her in the right thigh, one hit her in the left thigh, and the third missed her head striking the wall.
Lepe reportedly secured all of the windows and doors with screws so she could not leave, according to court documents. During her time at the residence, she faced numerous other physical assaults ranging from being hit with an electric drill to being punched while sleeping.
Finally, on May 29, she was able to escape. Lepe’s daughter and son-in-law stopped by to borrow something. While the three were outside, the victim stepped out and announced she had been shot and needed medical attention. Lepe’s daughter became upset and yelled at him to take her to the doctor. Lepe retaliated by throwing a rock at his daughter and telling her to “mind her own business.” The son-in-law stepped in and got into a physical altercation with Lepe. The victim took this opportunity to run and call 911.
Lepe faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release.