ST. GEORGE — A Sandy man has been charged in connection with a human trafficking case that investigators say stretched from St. George to Salt Lake City.

Travis Gentry, 45, was charged Friday in 5th District Court with aggravated kidnapping, forcible sexual abuse, two counts of object rape, forcible sodomy, rape and human trafficking, all first-degree felonies.

A woman told police that in November she traveled to St. George from Salt Lake City and Gentry followed. Charging documents do not say how the two originally met.

While in St. George, investigators say the woman and Gentry got into a dispute over money she allegedly owed him.

"When it came time for Gentry to leave St. George, (the woman) stated she was not going with him. Gentry stated he was not leaving without his money," the charges state.

Starting on Dec. 12, Gentry held the woman "against her will" for two days and during that time threatened her by saying he "would force her to engage in commercial sex in order to make money for him," according to court documents.

The woman was raped in a Cedar City parking lot before Gentry drove her back to Salt Lake City, according to the charges.

Over the course of two days, Gentry "made repeated threats of physical and sexual violence against (the woman) and her family in order to hold her captive. Gentry stated he was going to kill (her) and that he would sexually assault her grandchildren. During times Gentry was not present, he would leave (the woman) in the van without clothes so that she would not flee. Gentry also threatened to tie (the woman) down with a strap if she tried to leave," the charges state.

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The woman was allegedly sexually assaulted again in Salt Lake City.

The woman said at one point she passed a note to a store clerk asking for help and to call police, "but the store clerk did not understand English and handed the note back," according to court records.

The woman was finally able to escape when Gentry fell asleep, police say.

Gentry, who was convicted in 2013 of assault by a prisoner, was sent back to the Utah State Prison following his arrest for a parole violation. Prosecutors have asked that no bail be granted in his current case.

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