Man allegedly sexually assaulted two girls in St George Park after forcing them to use the toilet – St George News

This 2022 archive image is for illustrative purposes only and shows several St. George Police patrol cars at an incident in St. George, Utah, on February 13, 2022 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News

ST. GEORGE – A 20-year-old is accused of sexually abusing two minors in a park toilet. He faces charges of rape and kidnapping.

The man, Nicholas Palazzo, has been charged with five first-degree felonies, including two counts of rape and aggravated kidnapping, and one count of forcible sodomy. He is also charged with two counts of second-degree sexual abuse and six misdemeanors, including two counts of selling alcohol to a minor, possession of marijuana paraphernalia, drinking in a public park, illegal consumption of alcohol by a minor, and public intoxication.

The charges stem from an incident reported Wednesday evening when officers were dispatched to JC Snow Park (900 South and 400 East in St. George) where the initial complaint was lewdness.

The 911 caller reported seeing a man in his 20s engaging in sexual activity with two teenage girls in the men’s restroom. The trio was last seen near a nearby high school, the affidavit supporting the arrest states.

When officers arrived, they found a man matching the suspect’s description walking back toward the park. He was identified as Palazzo and appeared to be sweating and having difficulty maintaining his balance.

According to police, Palazzo admitted to being in the restroom with the two girls but denied any sexual activity. He said he returned to the restroom to look for his backpack.

He reportedly told police he had recently smoked marijuana and had to go to work soon.

Palazzo could not provide any information about the girls’ ages, their names or where he met them other than “in St. George,” police said. He also asked if they had spoken to the girls.

Police arrested Palazzo after reportedly observing several signs of impairment.

The police found the two teenage girls, both under 16 years old, in the nearby area. Shortly afterwards, the girls’ guardian arrived at the crime scene.

The teens told police they met Palazzo in Vernon Worthen Park and told him their ages during the encounter. Palazzo reportedly pressured the girls to drink “his lemonade,” which turned out to be laced with alcohol.

When the suspect became “intrusive,” the girls left the park and decided to go to another location in St. George to meet friends. Palazzo allegedly began following the teens and touching them inappropriately.

When the girls realized their friends weren’t there, they left the meeting place and found Palazzo waiting outside. He then reportedly followed them to JC Snow Park.

While they were at the park, Palazzo reportedly continued to touch the girls, even though they objected and told him for the second time that they were underage.

As the teens headed home, Palazzo followed them again. As they passed the restrooms, he allegedly put his arms around the two girls “and pushed them into the men’s room,” the report states.

He then allegedly stood in the doorway to prevent them from leaving and abused one of the minors. The second girl told officers she tried to intervene, at which point someone entered the restroom and began talking to Palazzo, who allegedly told the girls to stand on the toilet.

After the person left, the report alleges, Palazzo continued to attack both teens until a second person entered the restroom. The suspect’s attention was diverted, yet the girls were able to grab their belongings and exit the restroom.

The defendant described it differently and said that he only kissed and hugged the minors and “had a lot of fun,” according to the police report.

The suspect said there was no reason to call the police and then asked if the girls were still there as he still wanted to talk to them. At this point, the suspect was told he was being arrested and was taken into custody by police. When informed of the charges, he denied raping anyone and said there had only been “consensual kissing.”

In the suspect’s backpack, officers found a bottle of rum and a bottle of Gatorade that appeared to be mixed with rum. This was reportedly the bottle the suspect offered to the girls. Officers also searched Palazzo before transporting him and found the suspect’s underwear in his pants pocket.

Officials learned that Palazzo had recently moved to the area from Maryland with the intention of attending college and had been living in Utah for the past six months.

He was booked into the Purgatory Correctional Facility and arraigned the following day. The suspect is scheduled to make an initial appearance before District Judge Keith C. Barnes in 5th District Court in St. George on Friday afternoon. He is being held without bail.

This report is based on statements from court records, police or other law enforcement agencies and may not contain the full extent of the findings. Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or until a trial judge determines otherwise.

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