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PROVO — A 4th District judge is giving Paul Cromar one final chance to cooperate with Adult Probation and Parole before she proceeds with his sentencing.
Paul Kenneth Cromar, 64, and his wife, Barbara Ann Cromar, of Cedar Hills, 60, were convicted of burglary and wrongful appropriation in July 2022. But in August of 2022, warrants were issued for their arrests after they appeared remotely for a scheduled sentencing hearing instead of going to the courthouse in person as a judge had ordered.
On Aug. 31, the Cromars were arrested in Wyoming. It was also revealed at that time that a federal grand jury had charged Paul Cromar with tax evasion, obstructing the IRS and forcibly retaking property that had been seized by the government to pay his outstanding tax debt. The indictment against him was unsealed following his arrest. He is accused of not paying over $1 million in taxes.
Cromar has been outspoken during his court appearances about how he does not recognize the authority of the courts. He called the arrest warrants issued in 2022 against his wife and himself "an act of war." He also refused to meet with Adult Probation and Parole to assist them in preparing a pre-sentencing report, a common part of legal proceedings that helps with sentencing recommendations. Paul Cromar said at the time that it would be unwise to speak with Adult Probation and Parole agents because the agency is "not a part of proper lawful government."
On Thursday, Judge Christine Johnson asked Cromar if he planned on cooperating with the agency this time or if she should just proceed with sentencing.
Cromar, appearing via video from the Weber County Jail, once again questioned the legal proceedings against him.
"I was completely unaware this meeting was going to happen," he said before listing off a number of issues he did not "consent" to, such as, "I do not consent to these proceedings" and "I do not consent to voluntary or involuntary servitude" while also adding, "We did not sign any contract."
Johnson, who wasn't going to allow Cromar to repeatedly rant during the hearing, cut him off and and asked him point blank, "Are you going to cooperate with AP&P or not?"
Cromar eventually replied, "We'll cooperate without contracting. We will talk to them."
After Johnson rescheduled Cromar's sentencing for Nov. 16, he again diverged from the issues regarding the hearing and complained about he and his wife were "kidnapped by the FBI" in Wyoming and claimed he has been cooperating all along.
"We feared for our lives. We feel like we do not have a trust in officers of the court and deputies of the sheriff's department. I was (subject to) assault and battery…while trying to get subpoenas signed," he said.
"This isn't a hearing to hear your litany of grievances," Johnson told him, while adding that "all bets are off" since he hasn't cooperated since last year.
"I do not consent to these proceedings," Cromar added as the judge moved on to her next case.
A sentencing date for Barbara Cromar had not been set as of Thursday.
Paul Cromar owned a home in Cedar Hills and operated Blue Moon Productions, LLC, a freelance film and media production company. He is accused of not filing any income tax returns from 1999 through 2005. The federal government took possession of their home, evicted the couple 2019 and then sold the house during a federal auction. But the Cromars later broke back into the home. And on Sept. 24, 2020, officers from multiple agencies entered the house and found weapons, sandbags and wooden boards placed in potentially tactical positions to keep people from getting in and bomb-making materials.
