A man was detained after allegedly tying up and threatening two men who had unintentionally ridden their motorcycles on a Native American reservation over the weekend.
The two motorcyclists said officers they were touring Tooele County’s West Desert area on Saturday evening. They had come to a halt and were contemplating where to put up camp for the night. They claimed a man in a pickup truck pulled up, “accosted” them, and ordered them to get on the ground.
They both lied down on the ground and claimed that when they tried to raise their heads, the man instructed them to keep their faces down or he would kick them. The man allegedly zip-tied their wrists and ankles.
A second man then approached and threatened them with a knife. The victims said their goods, including the bikes, were stolen.
The victims’ zip ties were undone, and they were driven to a secluded place and left “to fend for themselves,” according to criminal documents.
The soldiers claimed they had to walk for around 6-7 hours before reaching the entrance of the Dugway Proving Ground seeking assistance.
According to authorities, a member of the Skull Valley Band of the Goshute Indian Tribe called the Tooele County Sheriff’s Office to report that his acquaintance, later identified as Russell Allen, had informed him that he had two males imprisoned.
After the men contacted law authorities, one of them detected an Apple AirTag on his motorcycle.
The following day, officers went to the location of the AirTag and discovered the motorcycles and other stolen things in a maintenance shack on Skull Valley Reservation grounds. While there, they reported that Allen appeared and “compared the seizure of their motorcycles to private apartment complexes calling for vehicles to be impounded.”
According to police, some of the stolen things, such as the men’s wallets, phones, and photographic equipment, were not located in the shed. One of the victims reported that his phone was “pinging” at the Tooele Walmart and subsequently at a property in Tooele, which detectives discovered was Allen’s registered address.
A witness also informed police that Allen told her about Saturday night’s actions, which included tying up the victims and seizing their motorcycles. He also allegedly told the witness that he had built a bunker to keep prisoners safe, and that the two men “were lucky this time because the police had already been called.”
A warrant for Allen’s arrest was requested on Monday, and a federal prosecutor charged him with:
- Kidnapping
- Assault
- Theft
It remained unclear if Allen’s accused co-conspirator was charged.
