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Gene Kennedy and Mary Richards reporting A Heber man who scammed people for more than a decade will spend six months in jail.
Many of the victims aren't happy with the sentence. They wanted Jack Daggs to serve some real time behind bars. Most cared about that more than getting their money back.
Daggs could have gone to prison for as long as 60 years. But the courts thought paying the victims back was more important than jail time.
As Jack Daggs made his way to the courtroom, one of his victims, Joe Quintana, made a confrontational remark. "I tried to get up underneath his eyes to say, ‘Can't you even look me in the eyes?'" Daggs just kept walking, and once inside the courtroom, Joe Quintana had even less satisfaction.
The judge ordered Daggs to spend six months in jail. "It's just disgusting," Quintana said. "The other victims are looking for closure, and they're never gonna get closure with him out in six months. They're just not."
"I think what's shocking is that Adult Probation, they recommended six months after knowing his history. It's just amazing that they know his history and they recommend six months," Quintana said.
The prosecutor in the case told KSL the courts have to weigh restitution versus jail time.
Daggs scammed Quintana's parents after fire destroyed the family's home in 2005. He took $50,000 up front from the Quintanas. Daggs demolished their already-ravaged home but never rebuilt it as promised. Tthree years later, the family wants Daggs in jail more than they want their money back.
Another scam victim, Lisa Wright, said, "Six months isn't enough. My parents have been suffering for years, and he has to go to prison for a minimal length of time."
Brian Fisher, another scam victim, said, "He needs to go to prison, and our system has failed in the fact that it doesn't put these people in jail when they need to be in jail."
For more than a decade Jack Daggs has taken money up front from customers, promising them a product but never delivering. His most recent scam was posting classified ads on KSL.com to build custom trailers and cabins.
The courts want Daggs to pay the victims back. He claims his Heber ATV business is still up and running and can help foot the bill. But authorities say he's been evicted.
Even if this plan would work, Daggs wants to pay less than the victims want because of time he spent on their projects. The victims say that's all part of the scam.
Fisher said, "He knows the system. He knows how to play it. He's been doing this over 16 years, if not longer."
The judge ordered Daggs to immediately pay the victims back. He was ordered to pay them $2,000 a month. That does not include pain and suffering, only out-of-pocket loss.
If Daggs misses a payment, he'll spend more time behind bars. The Board of Pardons would decide how long. Lisa Wright and Joe Quintana say they hope he misses his restitution payments and ends up in prison for it. Eleven other families were also scammed.
When deputies handcuffed Daggs, his son started crying in the courtroom. Outside in the hallways Daggs' son refused to comment.
How much will Jack Daggs pay his victims? They want $260,000. He says it should be $150,000. The victims hoped all this would end today, but in April they go back to court for a restitution hearing.
E-mail: gkennedy@ksl.com
E-mail: mrichards@ksl.com
