Fired executive charged in theft

A former Utah Education Savings Plan Trust official was charged Tuesday with stealing more than $85,000 from the plan between 2002 and 2004.

Dale C. Hatch, former deputy executive director for college saving for UESP, was fired from the job July 6, 2004, for questionable transactions after several employees noticed strange activity.

According to court documents, Hatch was responsible for analyzing national trends in college savings programs and possible changes in investment options by the participants.

During an audit of UESP records, auditors found Hatch transferred more than $500,000 from UESP market adjustments into his personal accounts at UESP. Of that money, Hatch transferred more than $85,000 to an account at Mountain America Credit Union, court documents state.

Hatch admitted to William Evans, assistant attorney general, and an official at the Utah Higher Education Assistance Authority that he had been taking money from UESP to make up the difference in his salary between a former job with the state of Utah and his job with UESP, according to court documents.

He is charged with second-degree felony theft.