Idaho Man Charged in Cassia County with Kidnapping and Rape
BURLEY, Idaho (KLIX)-A 27-year-old man is facing kidnapping and rape charges in Cassia County related to an incident back in October. According to court documents, Joshua Morgan was booked into the Mini-Cassia Criminal Justice Center in early December on charges of first-degree kidnapping, rape of a 16 or 17-year-old person, and forcible penetration with a foreign object. The charging affidavit submitted by the Cassia County Sheriff's Office, said the charges stem from events on October 9, when deputies responded to a report of a kidnapping in Burley. Officers located the 17-year-old victim six miles out of Burley alone and without shoes. Deputies allege Morgan went to a house in Burley wanting to talk to the victim outside and motioned for her to get in his pickup. When the victim got in, Morgan allegedly drove off against her will. Investigators allege the girl was sexually assaulted and raped in the pickup. When the family located the victim, Morgan allegedly drove off, striking a fence and parked vehicle. Eventually, the girl was dropped off outside of Burley. The case was filed on November 24, and Morgan was arraigned on December 9, by video conference from an out-of-county location. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for the early part of 2022.