Staff Report

Austin Quinn Gregory

COLUMBIA CITY — A Larwill man was recently arrested on five rape charges.

Austin Quinn Gregory, 30, 102 W. Elm St., Larwill, is charged with five counts of rape, all level 1 felonies; and two counts of strangulation, both level 6 felonies.

On Dec. 27, 2021, officers with the Whitley County Sheriff’s Department responded to a rape report. The victim said the suspect had them exit a vehicle and walk to a home. They were then taken to a local hospital.

Officers identified Gregory as a possible suspect. Upon being shown a picture of Gregory’s home, the victim said they were fully confident that was the location Gregory took them to. They described Gregory’s room and said they both smoked a blunt together. Gregory also gave a couple tablets to them and told them to place them under their tongue. The victim said they thought the tablets were acid.

According to court documents, the victim said they met Gregory on a social media app a couple months prior to December 2021. They said they had messaged each other, but that Dec. 27, 2021, was the first time they ever met in-person. The victim had marks on their neck. They told officers that Gregory used one of his hands and their hoodie to choke them. They also said they couldn’t move their hands because they were drugged.

At some point, the victim contacted a friend and said they needed help. Gregory allegedly took their phone and told their friend they were crazy.

The victim then elaborated on the sexual activity that occurred in a forensic interview. They said Gregory took pictures of them after the rape happened.

Officers obtained a search warrant for Gregory’s home and found several evidentiary items, including two cameras and marijuana.

On Dec. 28, 2021, officers found Gregory at his home. Gregory said he didn’t know the victim’s age and that if they told them, it would have been months ago. He told officers that they were both cuddling when the victim started “coming on to him.” Gregory said he may have lied to the victim about his age. He admitted to both of them smoking marijuana but denied having acid. Gregory also described the sexual activity they engaged in. When asked about choking, he said he choked the victim because they liked it.

On Jan. 7, officers were granted a search warrant to retrieve video from cameras and enter into hard drives collected from Gregory’s residence. Surveillance video from Dec. 27, 2021, showed Gregory leaving his home and then returning with the victim.

On Jan. 26, a lab test showed the victim had THC and a metabolite left in the body from cocaine ingestion.

An additional test on Feb. 28 confirmed LSD was in the victim’s system.

Gregory was booked in the Whitley County Jail on March 5.