Man accused of kidnapping, sexual assault released on bond

CEDAR RAPIDS – The Cedar Rapids man whom police allege held a woman captive for almost 10 hours and sexually assaulted her three times has been released from jail.

William E. Roby, 51, of 143 37th St. NE, Apt. N1, used a bonding company to post $100,000 bond and was released Monday, according to court documents filed Tuesday. A no contact order has been issued between Roby and his alleged victim.

Roby is charged with first-degree kidnapping after police said he forced his 62-year-old ex-girlfriend into his apartment on the evening of May 15. According to a search warrant filed in Linn County District Court, the woman told investigators she was in a common area of Roby's apartment building, not to see him, when Roby saw her and grabbed her as she tried to run upstairs. She said he wrapped one hand around her waist, put the other hand over her mouth and pulled her into his apartment.

The woman said Roby threw her on the couch and locked the door behind him, as she screamed for help, according to the warrant. Roby is accused of sexually assaulting her three times until she convinced him to let her go to work the next morning.

According to the search warrant, Roby threatened to kill the woman's cat if she didn't follow his orders. He also threatened to kill her and himself if officers showed up, the woman told police.

The woman also told police Roby had sexually assaulted her two weeks before, but she didn't report it because of his conviction for attempted murder in 1991.

If convicted, Roby faces life in prison without parole. His public defender, Ahmet Gonlubol, did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment.

Roby was an employee of Color Web Printers, which is a division of The Gazette Company.