Kidnap Suspect Could Get 5 Life Sentences Plus 36 Years

Timothy Haslett, Jr. accused of raping captive who escaped his Missouri home in metal collar
By Arden Dier,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 16, 2023 12:32 PM CST
Kidnap Suspect Could Get 5 Life Sentences Plus 36 Years
Timothy Haslett of Excelsior Springs, Mo. Prosecutors say that Haslett, accused of keeping a woman hidden in his basement while sexually assaulting her, was indicted by a grand jury on nine new charges.   (Clay County Sheriff's Office via AP)

A Missouri grand jury has indicted a man accused of kidnapping and raping a woman with charges that could result in five life sentences. Timothy Haslett, Jr. was indicted Tuesday on nine felony counts including one count of kidnapping, one count of first-degree rape, four counts of first-degree sodomy, two counts of second-degree assault, and one count of endangering the welfare of a child, per KSHB. The 40-year-old was arrested Oct. 7 after a 22-year-old woman escaped his Excelsior Springs home with a padlocked metal collar around her neck and alerted neighbors.

Haslett allegedly picked up the woman in Kansas City, Missouri, in September, per NBC News. She was allegedly held captive for weeks in a small room Haslett had built in his basement, which she only managed to escape when he left to take his child to school, KSHB previously reported. The child endangerment charge stems from unsecured firearms accessible to the 8-year-old, according to the outlet. "We would not be here today if not for the bravery of one woman and the tireless efforts of the men and women of 16 separate law enforcement agencies," Clay County Prosecuting Attorney Zachary Thompson said in announcing the charges.

Haslett—initially charged with first-degree kidnapping, first-degree rape, and second-degree assault—faces five life sentences plus an extra 36 years in prison if convicted of the nine new charges, which supersede the others, per the AP. He'll plead not guilty Friday, per NBC. His bond is set at $3 million. Meanwhile, police are searching for a potential witness to the crimes: 36-year-old Jaynie Crosdale. Police have been unable to locate the woman, last known to reside in Kansas City, but believe she has information relevant to the case, KCTV reports. (More kidnapping stories.)

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