U.S. man accused in Alberta woman’s kidnapping, assault faces more charges
More charges have been laid against a South Carolina man accused of luring an Alberta woman with promises of a modelling job before kidnapping and sexually assaulting her.
After prosecutors took the case before a grand jury, four additional charges of criminal sexual conduct were filed against Fred Russell Urey, 40, of Pickens County, S.C., said 13th Judicial Circuit Court spokeswoman Marcia Barker.
“It was just sent to the grand jury Tuesday in order to move the case forward,” she said, adding the case has already gone through a preliminary hearing.
“We upped that to five counts of criminal sexual conduct, one for each day he (allegedly) held her.”
Urey had already been charged with kidnapping, criminal sexual conduct and intent to distribute crystal meth.
Prosecutors say Urey had been in contact with the woman, who was aged between 18 and 25, for some time before she agreed to fly to Atlanta, Ga., in May 2017, believing she’d be paid $15,000 for a modelling job.
After meeting Urey, officials say they travelled to various spots the man insisted were photo locations.
They then went to his trailer, where he immediately restrained her and sexually assaulted her for five days, say police.
They said Urey allowed the woman to contact her family in Alberta on FaceTime, and she managed to drop clues about her situation.
After her family alerted the RMCP, police in South Carolina took up the case and were able to track the pair to the Pickens County trailer using cellphone signals.
Police said when they arrived, the woman leaped through one of the trailer’s windows to escape.
When confronted by police in a bedroom, Urey held a knife to his throat to hold officers at bay before eventually surrendering.
He’s being held at the Pickens County Detention Centre northwest of Greenville, S.C.
“The case isn’t really ready, we’ve still got tests to do,” said Barker.
“It might be six months until it (goes to trial).”.