Timothy M. Haslett (Excelsior Springs Police Department)
A 40-year-old Missouri man who authorities say held a woman captive in a makeshift basement dungeon where he repeatedly tortured and sexually assaulted her has been indicted on new felony charges in the case, court documents reviewed by Law&Crime show.
Clay County Prosecuting Attorney Zachary Thompson on Tuesday announced the indictment of Timothy Haslett on nine charges, including one count of first-degree rape, four counts of first-degree sodomy, one count of first-degree kidnapping, two counts of second-degree assault, and one count of endangering the welfare of a child.
Based on the new charges, Haslett, who is being held in the Clay County Detention Center on $3 million bond, faces up to five life sentences plus 36 years in prison if convicted, according to Thompson.
“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 different agencies,” Thompson said in a news conference. “These public servants have followed up on over 100 separate leads, they have sought and obtained search warrants and investigative subpoenas – collectively, they have over 1,200 hours investigating this case.”
The victim, identified in court documents as “T.J.,” was held in Haslett’s basement, where he repeatedly raped and terrorized her, according to the indictment. Haslett allegedly used a device equipped with an electrical current to shock the victim during sexual assaults.
Police said the case broke open on Oct. 7, when T.J. showed up at the home of a neighbor of Haslett’s wearing latex lingerie with a homemade metal shock collar equipped with a padlock and duct tape around her neck. T.J. told the homeowner she had been held against her will for over a month.
T.J. told police Haslett had picked her up in Kansas City a month earlier and kept her in a small room in the basement that he had built, according to the affidavit.
“He kept her restrained in handcuffs on her wrists and ankles. She was able to get free when he left to take his child to school,” the document states.
The woman pointed out to investigators the house where she had been kept, said the suspect had raped her multiple times frequently and had whipped her while she was restrained, the affidavit said.
Haslett was taken into custody on unrelated animal control charges, and then a judge issued a search warrant for Haslett’s home. Police found the room in the basement the victim described and recovered numerous firearms.
Authorities believe there may be other victims and ask that anyone with information contact the Excelsior Springs Police Department at 816-474-8477.
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