Montpelier man tied to chicken strip theft also charged with rape
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MONTPELIER — A man accused of burglarizing a restaurant and sexually assaulting a sleeping woman could face life in prison.
Adrian Harley Salerno, 27, has been charged with raping a sleeping or unconscious person, court records show.
Bear Lake County Sheriff’s deputies received a call reporting a sexual assault on Aug. 22, according to an affidavit of probable cause.
The victim told deputies she had been asleep on the couch at a friend’s house in Montpelier. Salerno, she said, was also at the home and was asleep on the floor near the couch.
She was awakened around 7 a.m. by Salerno assaulting her, the affidavit says. The victim told deputies she shouted, “What the f***?” and Salerno ran out of the house.
Four days later, deputies responded to reports of a break-in and burglary at a restaurant in St. Charles. While deputies were speaking with the owner, a car the owner recognized as the vehicle used in the burglary drove by the restaurant.
Deputies attempted a traffic stop on the vehicle, which instead sped away. Eventually, the car was stopped, and the two occupants, Salerno and 24-year-old Kenny Neil Hansen, were arrested. During the arrest, deputies found the men in possession of, among other stolen items, a bag of frozen chicken strips.
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Deputies later learned of several additional burglaries they tied to Hansen and Salerno.
Hansen was charged with three counts of felony burglary. Salerno, the driver of the vehicle involved in the chase, was charged with three counts of felony burglary and one count of eluding an officer.
Though Salerno has been charged with these crimes, it does not necessarily mean he committed them. Everyone is presumed innocent until they are proven guilty.
If he is found guilty, Salerno could face up to life in prison.
He is scheduled to be arraigned into District Court on Nov. 16.