Posted on 05/07/2010 10:24:13 AM PDT by Colofornian
WEST JORDAN -- Authorities say a former Garfield County School District official has been arrested in the alleged theft of thousands of dollars of district funds.
The sheriff's office says Justin Baugh was arrested Thursday night in West Jordan on felony charges of misuse of public money, communications fraud, and tampering with a witness.
Baugh's contract The Garfield County Attorney's office says that Utah state auditors found that Baugh had allegedly stolen between $50,000 and $80,000 while working as the school district's business administrator.
The audit found multiple checks that Baugh had written to himself and his wife. One was a check for more than $30,000. The audit further found that Baugh allegedly gave himself a travel stipend of $12,000 yearly. He also wrote large travel expense checks.
The charges also allege Baugh asked district employees to shred documents that could implicate him, and to keep quiet about it.
Baugh is being held on $25,000 bail and his first court appearance is set for May 13. If convicted, he could face up to 35 years in prison.
Baugh started his job as business administrator with the Garfield County School District in June 2008. Last May he resigned to take a job at the Canyons District in Sandy as assistant director of finances.
At that time, KSL obtained a copy of his Garfield County contract. We discovered that he had written the contract himself. It included provisions that allowed him to be paid his salary even if he quit or was fired before his contract expired.
It also allowed him to receive health benefits until he and wife turned 65 years old; and his children each turned 26.
The Garfield County School District superintendent signed off on Baugh's contract but the school board hadn't seen it and didn't have a signed copy at the time KSL investigated it.
At that time, KSL obtained a copy of his Garfield County contract. We discovered that he had written the contract himself. It included provisions that allowed him to be paid his salary even if he quit or was fired before his contract expired. It also allowed him to receive health benefits until he and wife turned 65 years old; and his children each turned 26. The Garfield County School District superintendent signed off on Baugh's contract but the school board hadn't seen it and didn't have a signed copy at the time KSL investigated it.
(You didn't know schools were giving government lottery "giveaways" to its employees, did you? Or did you?)
felony charges of misuse of ... tampering with a witness.
If he was a Democrat president, it would be OK...
Holy sh1+!!
How can I get a job there?
Sounds like the Supt. may have been in on it as well since he approved that contract and the Board didn’t see it.
West Jordan, Utah again
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2508872/posts?page=8#8
Is this guy a Cougar Club member too ???
One was a check for more than $30,000. The audit further found that Baugh allegedly gave himself a travel stipend of $12,000 yearly. He also wrote large travel expense checks.
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Those skiing trips with Romney can be expensive...
Good link. Well, I don't know, but this guy, a second Cougar Criminal Club member to make the news this week, was:
Local political gadfly arrested for exploiting elderly woman
According to the May 4, 2010 Provo Daily Herald's article about Donald Savage: The victim's boiling point was reached when $3,600 in BYU football tickets were charged to her card, Lemmon said. This included a membership in the BYU Cougar Club, a tickets package that provides high-priority seating, gifts and parking passes to those who pay yearly dues, which run from $50 to $1,000, depending on the level.
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