Missionary Who Admitted Raping Girl, 15, in Tesla Walks Free After Judge Allowed Him to Marry While on Bail

A former Latter-day Saint missionary who pleaded guilty to an amended felony charge after sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl in his Tesla has received a prison treatment programme rather than an immediate fixed prison sentence. He had told an Idaho judge that he had recently broken up with his girlfriend when the incident occurred.

Krew Zaugg, 22, was sentenced in Bonneville County on Monday, 26 October 2026, to a retained-jurisdiction programme, known as a rider, lasting up to a year. Under the arrangement, he will undergo treatment in prison before the court decides whether to grant probation or impose an underlying sentence of four to 14 years.

Wedding Report Raises Questions

Zaugg married his fiancée several months after being released on bail, citing wedding photographs shared by his mother on Instagram. The bride was the girlfriend he had described breaking up with on the night of the incident.

A judge had allowed the marriage while Zaugg was on bail, but the available reporting does not establish that judicial approval was required or granted.

The marriage date and the bride's identity have not been independently established.

Guilty Plea and Sentencing

Zaugg was booked into Bonneville County Jail on 29 May 2025, after a warrant was issued in connection with the alleged assault, and released on a $75,000 bond.

He was initially charged with rape of a victim under 16 and lewd conduct with a child under 16. Under a plea agreement, he pleaded guilty to an amended felony count of battery with intent to commit a serious felony, and prosecutors agreed to dismiss the lewd-conduct charge.

Addressing the court, Zaugg said he had been seeking comfort after his relationship ended. 'I was feeling sad, lonely and miserable. Instead of dealing with those things in a mature and responsible way, I made an impulsive decision,' he said.

Prosecutor Steven Haderlie said the teenager had told Zaugg her age in a Snapchat exchange before they met. He argued that Zaugg either disregarded her age or deliberately sought out a minor.

Defence lawyer Michael Winchester pointed to his client's lack of a criminal record and argued that a 20-year sentence would be excessive.

Victim's Family Speaks Out

The girl's mother told the court that her daughter could not escape the Tesla because its doors were locked. She also described the emotional impact of the assault and criticised those who had allegedly mocked her daughter online.

In a letter read to the court, the teenager wrote: 'I am also now a joke to half of this town because of what you did.'

Before sentencing Zaugg, District Judge Michael Whyte told him to challenge any supporters who criticised the victim or her family online. 'The term ''victim" is used for a reason. That person was a victim of your actions,' he said.

What the Rider Means

The prosecution had recommended a sentence of four years fixed and 16 years indeterminate, potentially totalling 20 years. Instead, the rider gives Zaugg up to a year in a prison treatment programme before a decision on probation or the underlying four-to-14-year sentence.

Zaugg must also register as a sex offender, pay at least $4,000 in fines and fees, and have no contact with the victim for 14 years.

Whyte noted Zaugg's score of three on LSI, or the Level of Service Inventory, an assessment used to evaluate reoffending risk, describing it as the lowest he had seen.

The ruling shows how Idaho's rider system holds a long prison term in reserve rather than imposing it outright, with the final decision delayed until treatment ends. For the girl's family, that means waiting up to another year to learn whether Zaugg will serve prison time.

The final decision on whether Zaugg serves the underlying prison sentence will come after the rider.