Ex-mayor to repay all restitution in fraud case

PROVO — Former Springville mayor and state legislator James Brent Haymond is paying back nearly $200,000 in restitution from a fraud conviction without the help of his co-defendant who has fled the country.

Haymond, 69, has paid back almost $70,000 and will continue making payments throughout his 36-month probation to stay out of jail.

In November, Haymond was convicted of securities fraud, theft by deception and sale of an unregistered security.

Court documents state that in 1998, Haymond began encouraging investors to put money toward building power plants in China, purchasing airplanes for the Chinese government and growing alfalfa crops in China to help encourage a relationship between the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Chinese government. The LDS Church was not involved.

Haymond's partner was Gen Yee Lin, from China. Haymond told investors Lin would use the thousands of invested dollars and his influential contacts in the Chinese government to ensure the success of the projects.

Investors never received a return on their money.

However, when charges were filed, prosecutors believe Lin returned to China and officials have not been able to bring him back to be prosecuted.

As a result, Haymond is left with the entire restitution bill.

"It's very devastating to him," said Randy Spencer, Haymond's attorney. "He very much believed in the projects that he was working on. The vast majority of (the money) went to Mr. Lin. He's very frustrated."

Haymond was originally ordered to report to the Utah County Jail on April 1 if he had not repaid a significant amount of money by that time.

A few days before he was supposed to report to the Spanish Fork facility, Haymond came up with $68,685 and was able to remain out of custody.

"To stay out of jail was never based on 100 percent restitution," said Deputy Utah County Attorney Curtis Larson.

However, with any probation agreement, if Haymond fails to fulfill the requirements, he could face jail time and the potential for additional fines.

The paid-back money is being divided between 15 victims who will each get a percentage of what they invested — with the hope of more to come, Larson said.

"I was surprised when he came up with the $68,000," Larson said. "I hope he will comply (with the requirements of probation)."

Another part of the agreement states that once half the amount is paid, Haymond's convictions can be reduced from felonies to misdemeanors, another motivation to speed up the repayment process, Spencer said.

"Mr. Haymond is going to do all that he can," Spencer said.

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