SALT LAKE CITY (March 9, 2021) — The Utah Attorney General’s Office on Tuesday announced charges have been filed against former Utah Department of Natural Resources employee Daniel Wayne Clark.
Clark, 59, and a Kaysville resident, is charged on suspicion of:
- Five counts of communications fraud, a second-degree felony
- Pattern of unlawful activity, a second-degree felony
- Improper use of state employee’s position, a second-degree felony
- Obstruction of justice, a third-degree felony
“The charges come after an internal state purchasing audit of the Department of Natural Resources, Division of State Parks and Recreation was conducted in early March 2020 which showed that Clark awarded multiple construction and paving bids to his company, Colt Paving, Inc., for which Clark is the president and sole employee,” a statement from the Utah Attorney General’s Office says.
“Charging documents reveal that Clark, a State of Utah employee since June 16, 1997, used his position as Construction and Development Manager to produce false quotation bid sheets, authorize payment to his company (Colt Paving, Inc.), and deposited the money into his bank account for fictitious projects at various state park locations.
“Over the past 20 years, defendant’s fraudulent scheme resulting in obtaining over $1.3 million dollars to which he was not entitled.”
The Department of Natural Resources disciplined and terminated Clark from his position on July 23, 2020. The Department of Natural Resources cooperated with the Attorney General’s Office during the investigation.
The Attorney General’s Office and Investigations Division filed the charges against Clark in Third District Court. A second-degree felony conviction can result in an indefinite prison term of one to 15 years and a fine of up to $10,000.
