Lamberton man arrested at Seattle airport charged with drugging, raping woman (updated)

A Lamberton man was arrested in Seattle and will be transported to Redwood County, where he’s accused of rape. Austin David Svejda, 38, was charged last week with four felony counts of criminal sexual conduct.  A warrant was issued for his arrest on March 6.

On Tuesday, the Lamberton Police Department announced Svejda was arrested by U.S. Marshalls at an airport in Seattle, Washington as he exited a flight.  Svejda could also face a drug possession charge.

According to a criminal complaint, a woman reported to police on March 1 that she had been sexually assaulted by her boss, whom she identified as Svejda.

The woman said Svejda had invited her to his house, where she had approximately four glasses of wine.  The two smoked what Svejda called a “CBD joint,” according to the complaint.  The victim said Svejda also gave her a gummy, which she assumed was THC or CBD.

The woman remembered her vision blurring as she and Svejda began playing pool, but didn’t recall anything else until she woke up in the living room the next morning.

The victim told police she went home to take a shower, but felt ill and called in sick to work.  Throughout the day, the woman felt disoriented, and had an upset stomach and a headache.  Court documents say she later experienced soreness and genital bleeding, so she went to the hospital. The victim, who tested positive for Amphetamines, said the only way it could be in her system is because it happened at Svejda’s house.

On March 2,  police searched Svejda’s home on a warrant.  Investigators found wine, marijuana, and methamphetamines.

Svejda’s employer said he hadn’t come to work because he had a blown tire.  Police called area tire shops, but no one had serviced a customer with a tire blow-out.

Lamberton Police said Svejda had fled the state when police were searching his home.

During a meeting between the victim and law enforcement, Svejda allegedly sent multiple messages to the woman asking her if she was the reason his house was raided and why she was “saying this stuff.”

Svejda’s wife told police he had sent her several text messages apologizing for his actions and asking her to raise their children right.