Utah County man who impersonated LDS leaders pleads to reduced charges in fraud case

Alan Dean McKee. Photo: Salt Lake County

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Oct. 20, 2016 (Gephardt Daily) — A man who posed as an official of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in order to dupe investors out of more than $1 million has pleaded guilty to two second-degree felonies in separate cases.

Alan McKee, 57, of Benjamin, on Friday, Oct. 14, pleaded guilt to theft and pattern of unlawful activity. As part of his plea deal, four counts of second-degree felony communications fraud were dropped.

McKee faces up to 15 years in prison when he is sentenced by 3rd District Court Judge Vernice Trease on Nov. 28.

McKee and former Utah County Commissioner Gary Jay Anderson, 69, were charged in connection with alleged scams between 2012 and 2015 in which police say they pretended to be a number of LDS Church officials — including then-presiding bishop of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Gary Stevenson — to gain cooperation of a business and two individuals.

According to a Wednesday news release from the Utah Office of the Attorney General, McKee reportedly bilked Ames Construction and two people out of $1.2 million.

McKee is “alleged to have sent letters to Ames Construction purporting to come from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in connection with the construction of a building site in Elberta, Utah,” the statement said.

“Anderson is alleged to have assisted by making at least one phone call posing as an LDS Church official to an Ames Construction employee. McKee and Anderson were also alleged to have induced two victims to invest in a scheme to purchase excess farm equipment.”

McKee allegedly tried to sell a piece of railroad line in Tooele County on property owned by the Union Pacific. McKee reportedly told two different entities he owned the land before selling it to them.

This spring, Union Pacific Railroad police saw crews removing railroad tracks from the land, and were told it was on the instruction of McKee. About seven miles of track were removed, costing the railroad between $189,000 and $240,000, according to court documents. McKee, who remains in the Salt Lake County Jail, has agreed to pay restitution.

Anderson, of Springville, has a court date next week.

In the prepared statement, Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes said stopping fraud is a priority.

“Stopping white collar crime has always been one of my highest priorities for the Utah Attorney General’s Office,” Reyes said. “Our investigators, paralegals, attorneys and staff work tirelessly to stop scams and shut down fraudsters.”

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