Judge criticizes district for road-bid process

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 a history of nepotism in which Erickson worked to guarantee Gil $200,000 in public contracts over several years.

Stewart noted the work was completed but that the two did not go through the bidding process. In fact, Stewart said the district's bidding process was not always followed and that district officials "had a business-as-usual casualness to it." 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.