Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
- Iron County Commissioner Paul Cozzens has apologized for seeking special treatment for his jailed son.
- Blake Cozzens faces charges of theft and embezzling $1.9 million from clients.
- An investigation recommends reinforcing professional boundaries between county officials and jail staff.
CEDAR CITY — An investigation into an Iron County commissioner requesting special treatment for his incarcerated son has resulted in a call for professional boundaries to be reinforced.
An emotional Iron County Commissioner Paul Cozzens apologized for his actions at a commission meeting Monday.
His son, Blake Floyd Cozzens, 35, was arrested on Jan. 15 and charged two days later in 5th District Court with theft and 10 counts of unlawful dealings by a fiduciary, second-degree felonies.
Blake Cozzens — the former treasurer and chairman of the Iron County Republican Party — is a licensed real estate agent and broker. He is accused of embezzling $1.9 million from two accounts belonging to the Cedarbend Homeowners Association that he manages through his business, Stress Free Property Management, according to court documents.
Police noted in a booking affidavit that Cozzens "has also caused multiple members of the public to fear for their lives and those of their families if he is released, to the point they want to leave town."
On Jan. 28, a lawsuit was filed by Velocity Holdings, LLC, against Blake Cozzens Holdings Inc., which was doing business as Stress Free Property Management. The lawsuit contends that Cozzens was entrusted to "manage the financial accounts of the Cedarbend Homeowners Association and to collect assessments and oversee other property management responsibilities" but instead "engaged in unauthorized withdrawals, transfers, and the creation of multiple accounts under the name of Cedarbend Homeowners Association while maintaining sole access to the funds."
On Jan. 16, the day after being booked into the Iron County Jail, Cozzens' father, Iron County Commissioner Paul Cozzens, went to the jail and "allegedly requested special treatment for his son's medical conditions, which raised concerns among jail staff," according to a summary of an internal investigation conducted by Iron County's human resource director on Jan. 31.
Paul Cozzens "interjected himself in all aspects of the approval of medical accommodations of his son," according to Jennifer Bradbury's timeline of events into what happened.
"Multiple staff members report that Commissioner Cozzens asserted his authority, stating that he was the commissioner responsible for building them the new jail," the report states. "Staff members interpreted this statement as an attempt to leverage influence over jail operations."
The report says multiple staff members at the jail felt uneasy about the commissioner's presence and some "feared for their job security" if they failed to follow his requests.
Bradbury's report recommends a discussion to clarify expectations between county officials and jail staffers.
"The findings suggest a need to reinforce professional boundaries and ensure staff members feel protected in performing their duties without external pressure," the report states.
On Monday, Paul Cozzens addressed the issue during an Iron County Commission meeting.
"It's been kind of a hard process because I'm a commissioner and having a son incarcerated, I don't know all the rules," he said. "As you can imagine with the meetings I've attended for a long time about building a new jail and knowing that one of our family members might be a resident there, it's been hard."
The commissioner said his son had asked him and his wife to bring him distilled water for his CPAP machine. After they arrived, a jail staffer informed him they couldn't accept it.
"I don't even remember what I said. I haven't read what I said. But she said they can't accept stuff from the public. And now that I understand why, I get it. But I think I got wound up that night," Paul Cozzens said.
"I know I didn't handle the situation well that night," the commissioner said, explaining that he was emotional. "I was deeply concerned for my son's health and I reacted inappropriately, but never did I threaten anyone's job. I apologized then and I apologize now for my actions."
Blake Cozzens' next court hearing on his criminal charges is scheduled for March 11.
