'88 American Fork rape case dropped at victim's request

PROVO — A rape charge filed 22 years ago against a man accused of assaulting an American Fork woman has been dropped.

Carl McClellan, 45, had already served several years for his 1988 conviction and parole violations before the Utah Supreme Court ordered a new trial last July, saying prosecutors had mismanaged his case.

The court said local prosecutors should have disqualified themselves because McClellan's original defense attorney took a job with the Utah County Attorney's Office just days before his trial.

McClellan was accused of raping a woman while selling cleaning supplies door-to-door.

Prosecutors said the victim does not want to relive the incident and it would have been difficult for witnesses to recall details after so many years.

— Paul Koepp