TOOELE COUNTY, Utah — A man was arrested after allegedly tying two men up and threatening them because they unknowingly rode their motorcycles on a Native American reservation over the weekend.
The two motorcyclists told police they were exploring the West Desert area of Tooele County Saturday evening. They had stopped and were discussing where to go to set up camp for the night. They said a man in a pickup truck pulled up, "accosted" them, and yelled at them to get on the ground.
They both lied down on the ground and said that when they tried to lift their heads up, the man told them to keep their faces on the ground or he'd kick them. The man then allegedly zip-tied their hands and ankles.
A second man then arrived and threatened them with a knife. The victims said their valuables were stolen, including the bikes.
The victims' zip-ties were removed, then they were driven out to a remote location and dropped off "to fend for themselves," charging documents state.
The men said they had to walk about 6-7 hours until they reached the gate of the Dugway Proving Ground for help.
According to police, a member of the Skull Valley Band of the Goshute Indian Tribe called the Tooele County Sheriff's Office and told them his friend, later identified as Russell Allen, told him he had two men detained.
After the men got in touch with law enforcement, one of them tracked an Apple AirTag that he had on his motorcycle.
The next day, police went to the geolocation of the AirTag and found the motorcycles and other stolen items in a maintenance shed on the Skull Valley Reservation land. While there, they said Allen arrived and "compared the seizure of their motorcycles to private apartment complexes calling for vehicles to be impounded."
Police said some of the stolen items were not found in the shed, including the men's wallets, phones and some camera equipment. One of the victims said his phone was "pinging" at the Tooele Walmart, and then at a residence in Tooele — which investigators learned was Allen's registered address.
A witness also told police that Allen had told her about the events of Saturday night, including tying up the victims and stealing their motorcycles. He also reportedly told the witness that he prepared a bunker to keep captives in, 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 filed charges of:
- "Kidnapping While Within Indian Country"
- "Assault within Indian Country"
- "Theft within Indian Country"
It was not clear whether Allen's alleged co-conspirator was charged.
