LOGAN, Utah, March 4, 2020 (Gephardt Daily) — A 72-year-old Providence man was booked into the Cache County Jail Monday after he allegedly raped a 19-year-old woman, then told her to forget it happened.
Richard Royal Cornell was booked suspicion of:
- Object rape, a first-degree felony
- Two counts of forcible sodomy, a first-degree felony
- Two counts of forcible sexual abuse, a second-degree felony
Cornell is being held without bail.
The victim was interviewed by an officer of the Cache County Sheriff’s Office after being driven by another woman to the Community Abuse Prevention Service Agency, in Logan.
The victim said Cornell had touched her under her clothing, and had assaulted her after he was told to stop. He then forcibly removed her clothing, the probable cause statement says. Cornell requested sexual acts from the victim, who refused to comply, the probable cause statement says.
Eventually Cornell left the room, and told the victim “not to tell anyone about what had happened,” the statement says.
The victim came to the CCSO offices, and she called Cornell on speakerphone, the probable cause statement says. The investigating officer heard and recorded the conversation.
“She confronted Richard about him sexually assaulting her and Richard apologized to her,” the probable cause statement says. “He told her it never should have happened. He told her he had prayed about it,” and she should go home, “take a shower, and forget it ever happened.”
Cornell was taken into custody and questioned.
“Post Miranda, Richard told me he was retired law enforcement, military police and federal court security, would not talk with me, and wanted his lawyer. I asked Richard if he would voluntarily provide his DNA by way of a cheek swab and he told me he would not.”
A search warrant allowed the investigator to collect Cornell’s clothing for DNA testing.
