EX-IRS AGENT AND ATTORNEY FACES THEFT CHARGE

A former IRS agent and Salt Lake tax attorney is scheduled to appear in 4th Circuit Court in May on a second-degree felony charge of theft for allegedly stealing more than $350,000 from a Mapleton family.

Utah County prosecutors filed the charge against Craig P. Orrock, 48, in February. However, police were unable to locate Orrock because he moved from Utah to Las Vegas in 1992.Police in Nevada arrested Orrock on March 5. He waived extradition to Utah and posted $50,000 bail the following day. He is scheduled to appear May 2 before Judge Ray Harding Jr. to hear the charge and to receive a date for a preliminary hearing.

In a court affidavit, investigators allege that in 1990 Orrock convinced John and Richard Childs to place more than $1 million in his care to be placed in irrevocable trusts. In 1993, the Childs discovered that Orrock had allegedly withdrawn money from their bank accounts without notifying them.

When the Childs attempted to contact Orrock, they found out he had closed his Salt Lake office and moved to Nevada. The Childs then obtained an attorney who was able to recover about $400,000 of their money.

"This transfer occurred only after a confrontation between the Childs and Orrock, wherein the Childs threatened a lawsuit and/or criminal prosecution," the court affidavit says.

The Childs also paid for an audit, which revealed that Orrock had allegedly used about $350,000 of their money for personal reasons.

"Instead of the monies from the Childs' investments going into irrevocable trusts as promised, they were transferred to other banking institutions shortly after being deposited into the professional account of Craig Orrock," the affidavit alleges.

Investigators allege that an attorney for Orrock sent a letter to the Childs' attorney acknowledging that Orrock owed them nearly $400,000 for money he diverted.

Steve Cochelle, disciplinary counsel for the Utah State Bar, said Orrock is still licensed to practice law in Utah. Normally, in cases where an attorney is charged with theft or another serious felony, the bar files a petition for an interim suspension with a district court.