A 30-year-old man who lists Ogden’s Lantern House as his address is now accused of what prosecutors say is his second rape involving a woman he met through the shelter, and the new case has amplified fears about safety among people staying there. Prosecutors filed the latest felony count last week after investigators said physical evidence tied him to a Dec. 26 encounter, and court records show he previously faced other sexual assault counts in Salt Lake County that were later dismissed without prejudice.
According to KSL, prosecutors charged Thomas Patrick Terry on Feb. 26 with first-degree rape in connection with the Dec. 26 incident. Charging documents say the woman met Terry at Lantern House, went with him to a gas station, and was then dragged behind a freight container and assaulted. He also faces misdemeanor counts of assault and unlawful detention. Terry reportedly told investigators he had been with the woman but denied raping her, while court filings assert that physical evidence connects him to the crime.
Booking papers and earlier allegations
A police booking affidavit warned that “it appears Thomas is preying on women in the homeless community and he is a threat to their safety,” according to court documents cited by KSL. Prosecutors also filed a second-degree felony charge in January tied to an alleged Sept. 6 attack after a woman reportedly rode with Terry to a Weber County parking lot, according to charging documents. Records indicate Terry earlier faced three first-degree rape counts from a Nov. 26, 2024, incident in Salt Lake County that were dismissed without prejudice when prosecutors could not locate the alleged victim.
Where the allegations occurred
Lantern House, which lists its address as 269 West 33rd Street, provides meals, case management and overnight shelter for men, women and families in northern Utah, according to a regional resource guide. The facility has long been a focal point for homelessness services in Ogden and has drawn both strong community support and periodic neighborhood concerns in past reporting. The shelter appears in the regional guide from End Utah Homelessness, and has been the subject of earlier neighborhood coverage from the Standard-Examiner.
The bigger picture: violence and homelessness
Research has consistently found that women experiencing homelessness face much higher rates of sexual violence and other victimization than the general population. A community-recruited study published in the Journal of Urban Health reported that sexual violence and assaults by non-intimate perpetrators were common among unstably housed women and were associated with increased emergency department use. Advocacy groups and legal experts also note that domestic and sexual violence are major drivers of women’s homelessness, reinforcing the need for trauma-informed shelter practices, a theme highlighted in the National Homelessness Law Center’s fact sheet.
Legal context
Under Utah law, rape is a first-degree felony and carries a sentence that ranges from a mandatory minimum of five years in prison up to life, according to the state criminal code. Penalties can increase if prosecutors allege serious bodily injury or if the defendant has prior grievous sexual offense convictions. The relevant statutory language and sentencing ranges are detailed in Utah’s criminal code, which is available online.
What to watch next
The newest charge has been filed in Weber County, and the case will move through the local court system in the coming weeks. Upcoming hearings, including any arraignment, will appear on county court calendars and in booking records. The Weber County Sheriff’s Office maintains public corrections and booking information along with resources for victims and witnesses. Anyone with information about either alleged assault is urged to contact local law enforcement.
