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CASTLE DALE — A former Emery County sheriff's deputy has pleaded guilty to seven felonies and one misdemeanor, resolving three criminal cases against him.
Clayton Rue Bell entered guilty pleas last week in 7th District Court to four counts of burglary and one count each of falsely obtaining a prescription, possession of a firearm by a restricted person, theft and DUI.
Bell, 29, was first arrested in October after he broke in to the evidence locker at the Emery County Sheriff's Office to steal prescription drugs. The former deputy told investigators he had burglarized the evidence locker several times, both before and after he resigned from the sheriff's office on Oct. 1
- Burglary (4 counts)
- Falsely obtaining a prescription (1 count)
- Possession of a firearm by a restricted person (1 count)
- Theft (1 count)
- DUI (1 count)
Then, on Dec. 18, Bell crashed his pickup truck on state Road 29 in Emery County. An EMT found a box filled with prescription drugs in Bell's jacket and Bell admitted to taking three Xanax before the crash, according to Utah Highway Patrol troopers.
The day after the crash, Bell's mother caught him inside a home without the owners' permission and contacted law enforcement.
In exchange for Bell's pleas, prosecutors agreed to ask that six felonies and three misdemeanors against him be dismissed.
Bell was ordered to serve 90 days in jail, pay a $1,356 fine and serve 12 months of court probation for the DUI charge.
The remaining charges will be held in abeyance. If Bell completes inpatient drug treatment and the Emery County Drug Court program — and has no new criminal violations for three years — the falsely obtaining a prescription charge will be dismissed and the remaining felony charges will be reduced to class A misdemeanors.
Email:gliesik@ksl.com
