Permanent protection order issued against Aspen kidnapping suspect 

Editor’s note: This article contains details of kidnapping, assault, and sexual violence that could be triggering to some readers. 

A Pitkin County judge issued a permanent protection order against Aspen’s Nathan Keen, who is accused of kidnapping and assaulting a woman in early July.

Keen and co-defendant Vanessa Leighton are barred from contacting the victim. Leighton was issued a protection order earlier this month, on Sept. 3.

According to the police affidavit, the alleged assault and kidnapping occurred between July 5 and 7. The two suspects are accused of forcing the victim, an Aspen woman, to accompany them up Independence Pass, where they threatened the victim with a pistol, physically assaulted her, sprayed her with sunscreen and hand sanitizer, and subjected her to verbal abuse. 

They then allegedly forced the victim to travel with them to Buena Vista, Gunnison, Ouray, and Montrose. The victim told police she lost consciousness multiple times during the attacks.

On Wednesday morning at the Pitkin County Courthouse, the victim’s attorney, Allison Mahoney, questioned the victim on the stand. The victim gave her testimony under oath on the details she endured in the backseat of her truck, which the suspects allegedly used throughout the kidnapping.

“I am asking the court to grant me a lifetime order, so I can sleep at night,” the victim said. “I thought he was going to kill me.”

While the victim spoke in the courtroom, Keen appeared virtually through Webex from the Pitkin County Jail. He has been held in custody since Aug. 6 after a warrant was issued for his arrest and he surrendered to authorities.

The victim stated that it took her several days to report the attack because she was scared for her life. She later went to a Rifle hospital where she was given tests before unveiling her story to the police in Aspen. The victim described that it’s challenging for her to go about her day as a result of what she endured.

“I wake up every morning and feel like I am being suffocated,” she said. “I now have a traumatic brain injury.”

Mahoney made her closing arguments about the case.

“At this time, petitioners are asking that the court enter a permanent order of protection on her behalf against Mr. Keen. She (the victim) has provided evidence showing that Mr. Keen engaged in acts of domestic violence. She testified that she was dating him for a few months prior to this attack,” Mahoney stated.

When asked about an opposing argument, Keen said, “Your honor, I am just now receiving the discovery on this said case and a lot of this is news to me, and I agree with the protection order that is currently already in place throughout the case, and I would like to continue this one until the case is over or more information on the current case is available.”

Keen added that he has no witnesses.

Pitkin County Court Judge Ashley Andrews said she found it appropriate to issue a permanent civil protection order.

“The court finds here the petitioner is proven by a preponderance of the evidence that the acts constituting assault have occurred here and domestic violence based on the intimate relationship between the victim and Keen,” Andrews said.

Keen did not see his $75,000 bond reduced in the criminal case on Aug. 19, though Judge Laura Makar has reduced Leighton’s bond from $75,000 to $25,000 since she was first arrested in July. 

Keen is due back in court for a hearing on Oct. 2.