LOGAN — A 40-year-old Smithfield man has been arrested for allegedly molesting several children after telling them that he owned their souls, according to law enforcement. Joshua Coti Lippold was booked Friday into the Cache County Jail.
According to an arrest report, Smithfield City Police officers received a child abuse report from the Division of Child and Family Services on Wednesday. The report detailed how a 12-year-old girl had disclosed to her mother that she had been molested by Lippold, a family relative.
A forensic interview was later conducted at a Children’s Justice Center. During the interview, the alleged victim described how Lippold had been molesting her over the last four years at his Smithfield home. The suspect told her not to tell anyone, the arrest report detailed.
The girl told law enforcement how Lippold started touching her inappropriately after making her sign her name in an “old fashioned book that was mahogany in color.” The suspect allegedly told the girl he then possessed her soul.
Friday, police officers obtained a search warrant for Lippold’s home. Inside they found a large marijuana grow, which resulted in members of the Cache Rich Drug Task Force being called to assist. Police also found a dark red colored book, titled Da Vinci’s Demons that the alleged victim said she had signed.
While executing the search warrant, law enforcement interviewed several other children. A 12-year-old girl disclosed that she also had been sexually assaulted numerous times over the last two years. Lippold had told the child that he’d lose his job if she told anyone, the report explained.
Another child talked about the book Lippold had. He believed that people who signed it gave the suspect their souls.
Jail records show, Lippold was booked on suspicion of aggravated sex abuse of a child, producing a controlled substance, child endangerment and possession of drug paraphernalia. He is being held, pending arraignment in 1st District Court.
Individuals arrested and charged in complaints are presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
will@cvradio.com