Judge scolds, sentences 5 for mortgage fraud

His voice was soft, but the judge's words were scathing as he denounced five men who took part in a huge mortgage fraud scheme of being responsible for the fierce recession currently ravaging America and the rest of the world.

U.S. District Judge Ted Stewart sentenced the five to prison terms of varying lengths during a series of back-to-back hearings Thursday.

"It is not too much of a stretch to say this is part of a larger corruption in our society that has led to the economic troubles not only in this country but in the whole world," Stewart said. "This conduct is a curse on our society."

The men were indicted by a federal grand jury in 2007 on charges they conspired to create a multimillion dollar mortgage fraud scheme involving a Utah County development that was originally thought to total $18 million in fraudulent loans. That figure was not referred to in court Thursday, but prosecutors said the sum the five must pay restitution for has been calculated at $5.5 million.

Sentenced were Bradley Grant Kitchen of Provo, David R. Bolick of Sandy, Steve Wells Cloward of Orem, Ron K. Clarke of Provo, and Jeffery David Garrett of Provo.

Stewart said "stealing is stealing, plain and simple," and there is essentially no difference between ripping off a mortgage company or going into a bank and pointing a gun at a teller.

"These were men of status and stature," Stewart said. "Why they undertook the enterprise they did is a mystery to this court."

The sentences to the various pleas and plea bargains were:

Garrett, who pleaded guilty to wire fraud, was sentenced to 12 months in prison.

Clarke: wire fraud, 41 months.

Bolick: conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, 41 months.

Cloward: conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, 33 months.

Kitchen, conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, 51 months.

All were given 36 months of supervised release once they get out of prison. Garrett was ordered to pay $100,000 in restitution, while the others are jointly responsible for the remaining $5.4 million.