Many people in Utah County have been closely following the Steve Turley Fraud Case. Originally charge in 2011, this case has been long outstanding and continues to garner a lot of media attention. For those of you who do not know, Steve Turley is a former Provo City Councilman initially charged with 10 felonies relating to fraud in his business dealings. The once city councilman is accused of all kings of fraud dealings including exploitation of a vulnerable adult. One alleged victim in particular claims Mr. Turley convinced him/her to quit claim their property over to Mr. Turley and in exchange he would deed back another property. The accusations are Mr. Turley never exchanged the property and instead borrowed against the new property deeded to him. As a result, the property is said to have been foreclosed and the alleged victim suffered financial damages as a result.
Last year, 3 of the 10 charges against Mr. Turley were dismissed by the judge in the case because the statute of limitations on the three particular counts run prior to the state filing any charges. Just this week, the case finally reached the preliminary hearing stage and multiple witnesses were called to give testimony against Mr. Turley. The initial witnesses provided by the prosecution told stories of losing assets and being financially ruined as a result of Mr. Turley’s alleged misconduct. Following the preliminary hearing this week, the judge must decide whether there is sufficient evidence to bind the case over for trial on each of the remaining charges. Most legal experts agree the case will be bound over and Mr. Turley will be facing a hard trial as it doesn’t seem the prosecution is willing to provide Mr. Turley with much of a plea agreement at this stage of the case.
Provo Utah Fraud Defense Lawyer
Fraud charges are unfortunately common in Utah and our law firm has dealt with many cases similar to Mr. Turley’s case. We have seen many different types of facts arise in fraud cases including instances where charges are not justified but rather are the product of disgruntled business partners or other third parties. Whatever the case may be, we strongly believe in providing zealous representation in our client’s defense. If you have been charged with fraud, theft, or any other related white collar crime, call or meet with a Provo Utah Fraud Defense Lawyer in our office today.
