Man threatened woman with gun after she denied sexual advances, charges say

SALT LAKE COUNTY, Utah (ABC4) — A man living in West Jordan has been charged after allegedly threatening a woman with a gun when she asked him to stop touching her inappropriately.

John Marcel, 19, has been charged with forcible sexual abuse, a second-degree felony; aggravated assault, a third-degree felony; and aggravated kidnapping in the course of committing unlawful detention, a third-degree felony.

According to documents, the victim contacted the Unified Police Department after an incident at a party on June 28 in Salt Lake County.

The victim was hosting a party at a residence in Salt Lake County when two unknown individuals arrived and began making sexual advances on her. The victim told police that Marcel touched her legs, stomach, and buttocks.

She told Marcel to stop and moved to another room where others were present in an attempt to get away. Marcel allegedly continued to follow the victim and touch her.

While trying to get away from the two individuals, the victim called a friend on FaceTime, which upset Marcel, documents say. In response, he pulled a gun out of his waistband and pointed it at the victim’s chest.

The victim tried to leave the room, but Marcel allegedly grabbed her wrist to prevent her from leaving. She told police that she was eventually able to get free from Marcel and leave the residence.

A witness at the party said that they saw Marcel pull a gun from his waistband. Another witness told police that Marcel and the other individual were “causing problems” and “trying to talk females into having sex with them.”

Later that day, the homeowner — a different person than the victim — located a handgun under a bed in the residence and reported it to police. An officer responded and found “a Glock pistol magazine sticking out” between the bed frame and the mattress.

Marcel was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail and is currently being held on a warrant. He has an initial appearance in court scheduled for July 7.