Men charged in theft of Book of Mormon

Two men arrested Sunday for allegedly stealing a bronze Book of Mormon out of the hands of a bronze statue of Brigham Young were charged Wednesday with two felonies.

Stewart Bodenstab, 26, and Parley Mortensen, 26, were each charged with theft and criminal mischief, both third-degree felonies, and intoxication, a class C misdemeanor for the incident that took place in Pioneer Memorial Monument Park, 140 E. First Ave.

A witness was told that the men had broken the book from a bronze statue, which depicts the LDS leader showing the book to two children, and he decided to follow them, the charges state. He then called police, who located the pair as they were walking through a parking lot. The men appeared intoxicated and the officer said he could "smell the strong odor of an alcoholic beverage" on both of the men.

Bodenstab later told officers he was "being drunk and weird" and that he took the statue, the charges state. Mortensen said he was pulling on the book, which appeared to be attached by screws and welding, to "see how close it was to breaking off."

A church representative said the book is valued at $1,000 and the act of vandalism caused another $1,000 in damages.

— Emiley Morgan