ST. GEORGE — A suspect wanted on a no-bail warrant for aggravated rape of a child and other charges was arrested in Davis County Wednesday morning, and within hours he was transported and booked into jail in Washington County.
34-year-old Christopher William Rau of Woods Cross was arrested on the no-bail warrant issued out of Washington County on one of three cases filed against the suspect since December, according to charging documents filed with the court.
The cases were filed following three separate investigations, the first was opened in June 2021, when investigators in Washington City were tasked with following up on a report of a 6-year-old who was abused by a man in his 20s at the time and later identified as Rau, who lived in Washington City at the time, according to an affidavit filed in support of the warrant.
The details of the reported abuse were disclosed to police during a forensic interview with a teenage girl conducted on June 24, 2021, who told officers that the memories had surfaced during a recent counseling session.
Officers learned the abuse continued for several years and Rau reportedly forced the child to perform sexual acts. As the molestation continued, Rau then raped the child on multiple occasions; statements further supported by a relative of the victim who also spoke to police.
The case was filed on Dec. 13, 2021 and Rau was charged with first-degree felony aggravated sexual abuse of a child and second-degree felony sexual abuse of a child. A $25,000 warrant was issued for the suspect’s arrest. Rau was arrested three weeks later and was released within a few hours after he posted a bond.
At the end of January, a second victim came forward and contacted authorities to report sexual abuse. During an interview with detectives that took place on Jan. 22, in Washington City, she said Rau sexually abused her starting at the age of 11, and the molestation continued until she was approximately 18 years old.
Officers also learned Rau committed various sexual acts upon and then raped the young girl multiple times in various ways. Officers also learned the abuse was committed in a “forceful and violent” manner.
Washington City Police Sgt. Tyson Dove told St. George News that following the investigation into the second report, the case was filed and a second warrant was issued for Rau’s arrest. But, instead of being arrested, he said, the suspect cleared the warrant during an initial appearance on the first case that took place on Feb. 15.
According to court records, the second case was filed on Feb. 10, and a $50,000 warrant was issued for Rau’s arrest the following day. The warrant was cleared on Feb. 15, the same day the defendant made an in initial appearance on the case filed in December.
Then a third individual contacted authorities to report abuse by Rau and was interviewed by detectives on March 1; she disclosed that she was sexually abused by the man for more than three years, starting when she was five years old.
The court then issued a no-bail warrant for Rau’s arrest.
Detectives also learned Rau, who was 18 years old at the time, committed sexual acts upon the child over the course of more than three years, and reportedly raped the little girl multiple times. The affidavit also states “the abuse occurred frequently for several years” until the child was eight years old.
Through the course of the investigation, officers received information during the earlier arrest in January indicating the suspect was possibly living in the Woods Cross area of Davis County.
The case was filed and on March 10, Rau was charged with five first-degree felony charges, including sodomy of a child, rape of a child, three counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child, one count of aggravated sexual abuse of a child by a person of trust and a third-degree felony count of tampering with a witness, a charge that was filed after detectives learned the suspect routinely told the child not to tell anyone about the abuse.
The following day, a no-bail warrant was issued for Rau’s arrest and the information was entered into the state system, as well as the nationwide database.
One week later, Davis County Sheriff’s Office notified Washington County authorities that deputies had arrested Rau on the warrant and he was in custody at the Davis County Jail.
As soon as the call came in, detectives in Washington City, including Dove, went to retrieve Rau from Davis County and he was transported and booked into Purgatory Correctional Facility by Wednesday afternoon.
The incidents from all three cases reportedly took place more than a decade ago, from approximately 2008 through 2011, and Rau could have been as young as 16-17 years old when the criminal activity possibly started, Dove said.
Dove also said they have reason to believe there could be other victims out there who have not yet come forward in addition to the three cases filed against Rau that involve the abuse of multiple children, which are strong indicators the defendant poses a substantial risk to the public, which was the primary reason Dove requested the no-bail warrant.
The detective also said the suspect lived in the general area of where the victims lived at the time and knew the families, which is how he gained access to them.
This report is based on statements from court records, police or other responders and may not contain the full scope of findings. Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.
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