A man has admitted his role in a brutal assault and kidnapping case, and faces the potential of 40 years in prison. Jeffrey R. Hanson, 35, of Taylorsville is pleading guilty to kidnapping, a second-degree felony, and aggravated assault, also a second-degree felony. He was sentenced to serve two consecutive terms of two to 20 years at the Utah State Prison.
On Feb. 29, 2016, Hanson and Eliese Tupou Olive, 33, of Salt Lake City, were smoking heroin with a 19-year-old woman in Hanson's home. Police say at some point in the evening, she asked to use Olive's tablet computer, but he declined to let her do so. She went downstairs and Olive followed before he began punching her in the face while Hanson watched. Hanson and Olive tied her up using tape and zip ties, gagged her by shoving articles of clothing into her mouth, and then continued to beat the woman, at one point involving pool cues.
According to charging documents the woman was able to free herself after finding a knife on the floor, but as she was attempting to leave Hanson grabbed and held her while Olive stabbed her repeatedly in the stomach. She was then punched in the face again and taken back down to the basement. She eventually escaped by crawling through a window.
Hanson's attorney submitted to the court that Hanson had taken steps to try and help the woman the best he could under the circumstances, by intentionally grabbing thin painters tape rather than thicker and harder to break duct tape, as well as through other means. Hanson claimed his part in the attack was motivated by a fear of Olive causing him bodily harm as well. As part of the plea deal a third charge of aggravated assault resulting in serious bodily injury was dropped.
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