2 get confinement for obstruction of justice

A former Uintah County road supervisor and a Roosevelt businessman were sentenced Tuesday to periods of home confinement for obstruction of justice.

During the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Ted Stewart had more criticism for the business practices of the Uintah Special Service District than either Kathryn Erickson or Gil Mitchell.

The two were found guilty by a federal jury last January on three felony counts of obstruction of justice. Prosecutors claimed the two falsified contracts for small paving projects and gravel hauling jobs before submitting records to a federal grand jury to cover up history of nepotism in which Erickson worked to guarantee Gil some $200,000 in public contracts over several years.

Attorneys for both Erickson and Gil called their clients upstanding citizens who had never had any criminal history.

Stewart noted that the work contracted for was completed, but that the two did not go through the bidding process. In fact, Stewart noted that the bidding process at the district was not always followed.

Stewart sentenced Erickson to serve 300 days' home confinement and Gil to serve 180 days' home confinement. Both will also serve 30 days' probation once their confinement terms are completed.