Greg Peterson, GOP activist accused of kidnapping and rape, posts bond

SALT LAKE CITY — A Republican activist accused of kidnapping, raping or assaulting women he met on LDS dating websites and other church functions left the Salt Lake County Jail on Friday night after posting bond.

Greg Peterson, 37, was ordered during a two-day preliminary hearing in August to stand trial on 25 charges, including 23 felonies. Peterson's bail was set at $2 million.

Peterson used a bail bondsman to post bond, jail spokeswoman Cammie Skogg said, meaning he paid a percentage of the bail amount to a bonds agent, and the agent put up the rest of the cash as a guarantee Peterson will appear in court.

A representative of All Out Bail Bonds confirmed that the company posted bond for Peterson but declined to comment further Friday night.

On Oct. 15, 3rd District Court Judge Katherine Bernards-Goodman denied a motion to have the Orem man's bail lowered to $750,000, despite Peterson's claims that it was raised unconstitutionally.

Peterson's next court hearing is scheduled for Nov. 2. He is also charged in a separate case in Heber City's 4th District Court with forcible sex abuse, a second-degree felony.

— Jared Page