Sorensen enters guilty plea in county car investigation, to avoid prison term

The former Salt Lake County auditor, who admitted he stole fuel by using a county-issued credit card for personal use, will likely avoid jail after entering into an agreement with prosecutors.

Craig Sorensen said Thursday he would plead guilty to a lesser charge of attempted misuse of public money. He will pay $8,678 restitution, and prosecutors said they would recommend probation for Sorensen.

"He did something that was wrong. He misused the gas card. No excuse, and we've offered no excuses," said Sorensen's attorney, Walter Bugden Jr.

He said Sorensen will pay full restitution within two weeks. "We certainly hope the judge will not impose a jail sentence."

Bugden said Sorensen has tried to act appropriately after admitting he misused the gas card, and said jail would not be productive for the man who resigned his county job of 26 years.

"He's paid the price," Budgen said.

He resigned in May, and was the third county official to resign in the wake of an investigation into abuse of county vehicles that threatened the credibility of the Nancy Workman, the mayor of Utah's most populous county.

Greg Curtis, the majority leader of the Utah House of Representatives and Workman's legal counsel, resigned in May. Curtis' resignation was prompted by the criminal investigation by District Attorney David Yocom.

Curtis in June reimbursed the Legislature $767 for mileage money he received while driving a county-provided Ford Explorer and fueling it with a county charge card.

Curtis, who is seeking to become the next House Speaker, has said he must have signed a form requesting the reimbursement but he didn't remember doing so.

Questionable use of county vehicles or county-issued gas credit cards, first reported by The Salt Lake Tribune, also resulted in the resignation of the county's former chief financial officer, Randy Allen.

Allen also resigned after admitting he used his county vehicle for two personal trips to Lake Powell last year.

Sorensen had initially been charged with misuse of public funds.

Yocom alleged that between Jan. 1, 2001, and April 30, Sorensen misused a Salt Lake County gas credit card by purchasing $10,139.81 worth of gas, or 7,641 gallons that were not used for his county assigned vehicle, a 2001 Ford Expedition.

Workman has repeatedly refused comment on the issue. Workman's spokesman did not immediately return a phone message left by The Associated Press on Thursday.