| OCR Text |
Show $ffffiseirs (sunresfl D2-m D2-m ipyiroinnildl .sehemraes jing a 5-month investigation by I task force, the Vernal Police inient and the Uintah County s Office, last Friday, arrested 12 .( movers," involved in pyramid ); activity in Vernal. , investigation headed by Sgt. Reynolds, Uintah County Sheriff . and Det. Paul Parker, Vernal 'olice, gathered information and irched the pyramid schemes jig in July of this year. The 'gation resulted in the issuance of -ation and warrants of arrest on ;1 residents and search warrants dlocal residences. Four arrests -j pending, said Robert Downard, ;; police chief, k iding to Sgt. Reynolds, the task jvestigation not only revealed oration of a pyramid scheme i unlawful, under Section 76-6-he Utah Code Annotated, but an :roup of people in the schemes inipulated the charts causing ! articipants to be dropped and i to rise toward the paylines 3 Jrbeginning it was decided that a f education program was -ed in an effort to gain voluntary jncesaid Sheriff Arden Stewart. , i while the activity appeared to stop, but recently the activity was revived with the appearance of promotional schemes of $20 and $150 in an effort to build up the original $2,000 scheme which was faltering and a $5,000 scheme which was recently introduced. in-troduced. "This left us no alternative in light of the public complaints, which both agencies received, but to enforce the law," Downard said. "We've received complaint after complaint from citizens, councilmen and commissioners." com-missioners." Chief Downard stressed that the city and county attorneys have been involved in-volved at every point in this case and entered the case with full support and assistance. Deputy County Attorney Eric Williams stated that he had researched the law and recent court decisions concerning the pyramid scheme law. He stated that the chances for prosecution in the case are "very good." "I have read the District Court opinion and it's clear, simple, and makes sense. I feel that the decision will be upheld by both the Utah Supreme Court and the U.S. Supreme Court if challenged," said Williams in reference to a recent District Court i decision ruling the law constitutional. The District Court recently overturned over-turned a Circuit Court decision that the law was unconstitutional because it was vague and ambiguous. The District Court, in overturning the ruling, stated that the language of the statute is taken on its face value or that the definition is clear enough, and it quoted several prior U.S. Supreme Court decisions to suport its decision. Arrested Friday night by the Vernal City Police and Uintah County Sheriff Department were Jim and Carol Newman, Bryce and Bonnie Baker, Clifton and Kay Brady, Marita Pehacek, Pat Abplanalp, Barry Gale, Linda Montgomery, David Carrion and Karlee Boyles. All were charged with involvement in pyramid' schemes. All have met bail set at $500. Since the time of arrest several persons charged in the case have voiced concern with the way arrest warrants were handled. Chief Downard said last Tuesday that no written complaint has been filed, but an "originally extremely serious moral charge has been made, which has been reduced." He said in light of this charge and other publicity, a third agency will be called into investigate. Sergeant Dean Car and Sergeant Sid Elliott, of the Salt Lake County Sheriff Department, have been called in to investigate the case, Downard said. He also indicated the officers involved will be submitted to a polygraph test. , Downard said the officers involved did "keep a low profile" and the arrests were sanctioned by both city and county attorneys. Investigation into the case by the Salt Lake City Police Department will be immediate, Downard said.. Two persons arrested in the case were contacted this week. One refused to comment following the advise of his attorney, but the other said he saw "no problem" with the way his arrest was handled, but he said others had complaints. com-plaints. Originators of the charges against law enforcement officers were not available for comment. Chief Downard warned that before a person becomes involved in an investment in-vestment firm, Century Investments, to be advised by his lawyer. |
