Ex-Garfield school official charged with stealing up to $80,000

SOUTH JORDAN — Police arrested a former Garfield County School District administrator Thursday who is suspected of stealing up to $80,000 of public money.

After months of investigation, Justin Baugh, 38, was charged with misuse of public money and communication fraud, both second-degree felonies, and tampering with a witness, a third-degree felony.

The charges, filed Thursday in 6th District Court, accuse Baugh of stealing between $50,000 and $80,000 while he worked as business administrator for the school district, according to a Garfield County Sheriff's Office.

In February, an audit of the school district confirmed serious irregularities in its finances. The audit reportedly found that Baugh had written multiple checks to himself and his wife, including one check for more than $30,000 that was deposited into his personal account, according to a statement from the sheriff's office.

"The serious lack of internal control procedures including the lack of separation of duties, ineffective bank reconciliations, improper contracting procedures, inadequate accounting policies, lack of documentation and approval of expenditures, and expenditures not being entered in the accounting system, allowed these inappropriate disbursements to occur and go undetected," the audit states.

Prosecutors also say Baugh created "generous" travel stipends of $12,000 per year and asked other district employees to shred incriminating evidence.

Baugh, who formerly lived in Tropic, was arrested in South Jordan Thursday night and transported to the Garfield County Jail.

The district's former superintendent, George Park, was placed on paid leave in July in connection to the audit's findings.

Baugh was hired as business administrator in 2008 but left to take a job at the Canyons School District as assistant director of finances. He resigned that position in August 2009.

Garfield County Sheriff Danny Perkins called the investigation "very extensive and time consuming" and predicted more charges would be filed.

Baugh will make his first court appearance May 13. If convicted, he could face up to 35 years in prison.

e-mail: jsmith@desnews.com