St. George Police arrest man on 1st-degree felony rape charge

St. George News stock image | Photo by Kimberly Scott, St. George News

ST. GEORGE — Police have arrested a 31-year-old man for suspicion of rape at a home in St. George early Thursday morning.

Braden William Gifford, of Ivins, Utah, booking photo posted Nov. 2, 2017 | Photo courtesy of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, St. George News

A 40-year-old woman reported to police that she had gone to bed Wednesday night and awoke Thursday morning to a man – identified as Braden William Gifford – raping her, according to a probable cause statement filed by St. George Police in support of the arrest.

The woman stopped Gifford and called 911 for help, the report states.

“(The woman) advised she did not consent to sexual intercourse and in no way was it wanted,” the arresting officer wrote in the sworn statement, noting that there had never been any sexual advances between the two prior to the incident.

Gifford, who court documents list as a resident of Ivins, had been sleeping on a couch at the residence for some time, the report states.

Upon interviewing other residents of the home, police learned that Gifford had been instructed he was “not allowed upstairs where the bedrooms are” including the woman’s bedroom, according to the statement.

Gifford was questioned at the St. George Police Department where he admitted to having sex with the woman, the detective wrote in the statement, adding:

Braden (Gifford) told me he only went upstairs this time because (the woman) told him to come upstairs and have sex with her.

Gifford was arrested and booked into the Washington County Purgatory Correctional Facility.

The Washington County Attorney’s Office subsequently filed an information in 5th District Court accusing Gifford of first-degree felony rape.

As this report publishes, Gifford remains in police custody. He is scheduled to appear before 5th District Judge Jeffrey Wilcox Nov. 13 for his next court appearance.

According to Utah court documents, Gifford has been arrested for suspicion of assault, disorderly conduct, DUI, drug possession, criminal mischief and theft, among other charges.

Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2017, all rights reserved.

 

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6 Comments

  • comments November 6, 2017 at 5:54 pm

    “A 40-year-old woman reported to police that she had gone to bed Wednesday night and awoke Thursday morning to a man – identified as Braden William Gifford – raping her”

    I’d think a person would wake up before the actual rape takes place unless the person has rendered herself unconscious from alcohol or drugs. Probably a lot more to this story.

  • paul November 6, 2017 at 8:01 pm

    ya seems kinda odd theres got to be more to this story that she not telling…….

  • reddirt November 6, 2017 at 9:15 pm

    Having witnessed first hand the kind of man Braden Gifford is, this kind of behavior from him does not surprise me. What I do find odd “Paul” is that you would question the veracity of the victim. If there is no consent it is rape!

  • mmsandie November 7, 2017 at 8:56 am

    Why would you allow someone to sleep on your. Sofa not knowing him, similar age, and to say to a male with raging hormones, don,t come upstairs, and why did she wait til he raped her, you know If you hear someone near you, sounds suspicious.
    Maybe she didn,t. like it his way…

  • Keith November 7, 2017 at 2:43 pm

    As a man and a father I am completely outraged with the comments you have made. As you further degrade and continue to victimise this woman, with your ignorant comments. Your a knuckle dragging mouth breathing baboon’s. That still cling too the belief that women are worthless and somehow deserve to be raped. That by the very clothes she wares she asked for it. Simply because she tried to help this guy she gave consent by allowing him in her house. If your married or have daughters I pray for them that you yourselves do not victimise them. We are living in ghe 21 century, not the dark ages! That mental has long ago been removed from a polite society. And in many places deemed criminal. Rape is rape! And even if she gave consent as soon as she said stop! If he continued for even one second more he raped her!
    Now your comments lead me to believe that you may have raped someone yourselves. My only question is how many victims are in your past…

    • comments November 7, 2017 at 4:46 pm

      My goodness, so much whining! Unfortunately, in this modern world we live in, lot of times it’s also “rape” if the women regrets having relations with the man the next day, regardless of how drunk she was. Happens way way too often. The newer story about the mexican guy drugging and raping the poor woman in the bathroom I fully believe. This one, we gonna have to see more detail because the info in the story seems very wishy washy, but I”m sure the coppers already have a ton more info than we get in this story. cheers, buddy

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