Criminal charges filed against Provo city councilman

PROVO — The Utah County Attorney's Office filed criminal charges Wednesday against city Councilman Steve Turley, leading city leaders to call for his resignation.

Turley faces seven counts of communications fraud, two counts of exploitation of a vulnerable adult and one count of pattern of unlawful activity — all second-degree felonies.

According to charges filed Wednesday in 4th District Court, Turley "engaged in a course of conduct to defraud others or obtain money, property or other items" valued at more than $5,000 on at least 10 occasions between July 2006 and December 2009.

Those alleged actions, Turley's colleagues say, compromise the integrity of the Provo city government.

In a letter sent to Turley on Tuesday, Provo Mayor John Curtis and council members Midge Johnson, Sherrie Hall-Everett, Richard Healey and Cynthia Dayton say they believe Turley's "ability to serve effectively … has been so compromised by these allegations that it would be in the best interest of you, your family and the city that you immediately resign your position as a member of the council."

The county attorney's office had been investigating Turley for several months in response to complaints from residents about the councilman's business dealings.

Turley has served on the Provo City Council for the past 7½ years.

Provo residents have been after Turley to step down for several months, alleging that the councilman has used his public position for personal economic gain.

"This has been a long time coming," said Diane Christensen, one of 23 Provo residents who filed a conflict-of-interest complaint against Turley with the Utah County Attorney's Office and Mayor Curtis in November. "The appropriate thing for Mr. Turley to do now would be to resign."

Among the alleged crimes for which Turley has been charged include passing out fliers in September and October 2009 about a planned "reclamation project" in Slate Canyon.

At the time, Turley indicated the area would not be used as a gravel pit and that he did not stand to make any profit from the project, according to the charges.

"At the same time, (Turley) was negotiating with a construction company and representing he was going to be conducting a significant mining project in Slate Canyon," the charges state.