From Deseret News archives:
Eagle Mountain pair appear on 3 felony fraud counts
Which is why Richard Culbertson, who ran and lost in Eagle Mountain's November election, is cooperating with prosecutors to take care of his felony charges, said his attorney, Greg Skordas.
"He's admitted and has accepted responsibility," Skordas said Thursday after Culbertson and his wife, Kathleen, appeared in 4th District Court for the first time after being charged with felonies.
Both Richard and Kathleen Culbertson were charged by the Utah Attorney General's Office March 5 with three counts of communications fraud and one count of pattern of unlawful activity for allegedly falsifying home loan papers by using fake names and inflated incomes.
Judge James Taylor reminded the couple that the maximum financial penalties they could face would be $74,100 each, plus the potential of prison time.
According to court documents, the couple purchased homes in Eagle Mountain using Richard Culbertson's daughter's name. The daughter also told investigators that her dad and stepmom asked her to take out a home loan for them because she had better credit, but she never lived in the house.
The Attorney General's Office had been investigating the allegations for months, and once the investigation began, Skordas said he knew a criminal case was coming and that more than four charges could have been filed.
"We were working with (the attorney general's) office before they ever charged (the Culbertsons)," said defense attorney Greg Skordas. "We've been working ... to narrow the charges (to where) both sides could deal with them. A lot of plea bargaining has already been done."
Part of the arranging meant revoking the $25,000 warrants, as Skordas promised his clients would appear in court on their own. Their next court date is April 17.
"I'm confident they'll make their appearances," said Neil Gunnarson, assistant Utah Attorney General, which is why he agreed to essentially suspend the warrants.
He did request, however, that the couple be fingerprinted and given a specific tracking number so they could be entered into the system without having to be officially booked a request Judge James Taylor granted, acknowledging it was a required step in the process.
Recent comments
Good for you both for taking responsibility for your actions and for...
Good for you | March 21, 2008 at 8:01 a.m.
- Grieving UK mother rips into Brown 10:26 p.m.
- Community annexation put on hold 10:26 p.m.
- North and South Korea clash at sea 10:25 p.m.
- Robbers see Army ID, return wallet 10:25 p.m.
- Base opens rift in U.S.-Japan ties 10:19 p.m.
- Did Blackwater try to bribe Iraqis? 10:18 p.m.
- World datelines 10:18 p.m.
- Cal RB Best resting at home 10:12 p.m.
- Long days for BYU interns 10:11 p.m.
- Navajo Code Talkers break silence 10:08 p.m.
- Utah group finds homes for orphans
- Pratt pleads not guilty to sex charges
- Y. tight ends talented tandem
- Jazz blow big lead, hang on
- Utes get extra motivation
- Senators want food tax restored
- Hair-pulling raises more questions
- BYU soccer incident still popular
- Lobo land like home for BYU lineman
- U. hopes to keep clicking
- House passes health care bill
261 - TCU showdown has big implications
188 - Lobo suspended
185 - Cougars crush hapless Cowboys
155 - Senators want food tax restored
148 - Utah Jazz fall apart against Kings
131 - TCU 4th in AP poll; U. 16th, Y. 22nd
119 - No 'backlash' for pioneers, gays analogy
105 - S.L. vote pending on gay protections
104 - RSL rallies to advance
103
Applebee's Neighborhood Grill & Bar restaurants nationwide will honor...
Meghan McCain, the daughter of former presidential candidate John...
Dixie is the best team in the state hands down. TV/MC dont stand a chance...
How much was paid by subsidies? What is the cost of the power? What is the...
I was in the Hill Cumorah Pageant cast this summer. Two days after Ben's...
Congratulations, ladies, on a great accomplishment! Only your second year...
How to reduce the budget; and not on creative ways to raise more taxes. ...
This should be a swell game. We are waiting for the opportunity to share the...
If a family has a basement apartment do they have to rent a gay couple. There...
Pretty well has this one in the BAG just look over the footage of the Delta...
I know it was a brutal game, but there were positives in the second half....
by the Church. I am extremely disappointed!



