Former Utah Jail Commander Pleads Guilty to Misuse of Public Money
by Monte McCoin
Galen Bret Allred, 47, the former commander of the Iron County Correctional Facility in Utah, pleaded guilty on September 7, 2017 to one third-degree felony count of misuse of public funds. Millard County Attorney Patrick Finlinson prosecuted the case when the Iron County Attorney’s Office cited its longstanding relationship with Allred as a conflict of interest. Finlinson agreed to accept a plea in abeyance; he then dismissed three other counts as part of the arrangement.
Under Allred’s plea deal, he will pay an $800 fee as well as reimburse Iron County for unauthorized credit card charges. Finlinson agreed to move for dismissal of the final pending charge against the former jail commander if Allred successfully completes the terms of the plea agreement, including not committing any other crimes. The charges stemmed from Allred’s use of a county-issued credit card to put gas into his personal vehicle.
Court documents show that he misused the credit card four times between March 2015 and June 2016. In addition to the felony charges, Allred was also disciplined by the Utah Peace Officer Standards and Training Council; he lost his peace officer’s certification as a result of the Council’s sanctions.
Allred, who had worked for the Iron County Sheriff’s Office for over 20 years until his February 2016 resignation, served the last 10 years as commander at the county jail.
Sources: www.stgeorgeutah.com, www.sltrib.com
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