BILLINGS — A Roberts man accused of kidnapping a woman in Wyoming and holding her at his residence until she escaped appeared on Thursday, June 8, 2023, in federal court in Billings on a felony kidnapping charge.
Adolfo Vargas Lepe, 59, made an initial appearance on a criminal complaint charging him with kidnapping. If convicted of the most serious crime, Lepe faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
Lepe was detained pending further proceedings.
According to a press release, federal prosecutors alleged that from April to May 29, Lepe kidnapped a woman, whose name was not released, from a residence in Lander, Wyo., and took her to his residence in Roberts, where the victim was not free to leave.
Lepe is accused of repeatedly assaulting and mentally abusing the woman. The woman escaped on May 29 and called 911 for help.
Charging documents state the woman had previously been in a romantic relationship with Lepe "but wanted to get away from him due to experiencing physical and emotional abuse."
