Police: Hotel guest pulls teen boy into his room and sexually abused him

VERNAL, Utah — A 14-year-old boy was forcibly grabbed from a hotel hallway into a man’s room, where allegedly he sexually assaulted the teen, police say.

On Sunday morning, Michael J. Grant, 31, was booked into the Uintah County Jail on suspicion of two first-degree felonies related to sexual assault.

Vernal police say the rape happened at the Horizon Hotel at 1624 West Highway.

According to the affidavit, the 14-year-old boy was walking by Grant’s room when the “person in (the) room… grabbed him by his wrist and pulled (him) into the room.”

Grant let the victim leave but threatened him and told him to come back. According to the affidavit, the boy returned to Grant’s room, where he pulled the boy into his room and assaulted him.

Police say that Grant changed his statement several times, insisted there was no physical contact between him and the victim, and claimed the victim instigated contact. The suspect believed the victim was between 16 and 18 years old.

During the police interview, two of the victim’s relatives arrived at the hotel and attempted to contact the suspect. Police say one pulled the fire alarm and tried to get into the victim’s room, while the other told police he was going to kill the suspect.

According to the affidavit, Grant doesn’t live in Vernal and was planning to leave the town. Police requested no bail because the suspect doesn’t live in the area and for his overall safety.