State of Utah v. Houston Raefat Hararah

Farmington, Utah, criminal defense lawyers represented the Defendant charged with aggravated kidnapping, attempted rape, and three counts of forcible sexual abuse.
Houston Raefat Hararah "matched" with a woman (Victim) on a dating app, and the two began messaging each other. Then in a subsequent phone call, the two agreed to meet in person. Hararah picked Victim up from her apartment, after which they drove to a bar in downtown Ogden. From the beginning of the encounter, Victim found Hararah's comments "off-putting," and after a couple of drinks at the bar, Victim "didn't want to be on the date anymore" and told Hararah she wanted to go home. On the way to take Victim home, Hararah offered her $200 to "make out" with him. Victim "really needed money at the time," so she agreed, stating that she was willing to make out with Hararah but that she would not participate in "sexual touching"; she specified that she would keep her clothing on but also agreed, when asked, that Hararah could touch her buttocks over her pants.

The Defendant was found guilty and was sentenced to one-to-fifteen years in prison on each count.

Affirmed.