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LEHI — A Lehi man has been charged with faking a divorce — meaning he was married to two women at the same time — allegedly so he didn't have to pay child support to the first wife.
Wade Lamar Peacock, 41, was charged Wednesday in 4th District Court with engaging in bigamy in conjunction with a felony offense, a second-degree felony; and forgery, a third-degree felony.
The investigation began in February when a woman contacted police to report that "an ecclesiastical leader reached out to her inquiring as to whether she was divorced from her estranged husband. She indicated that they were separated but her husband would not agree to a divorce because he did not want to pay her child support," according to charging documents.
The church official, however, then showed her a "certificate of divorce, dissolution, or annulment" that had been given to him by Peacock, the charges state.
Police examined the certificate, which was dated Nov. 16, 2023. Officers then checked the Utah State Courts website and could not find an official divorce filing on that day for either Peacock or his estranged wife, according to the charges.
"The officer did find a document showing that the couple filed for legal separation on Nov. 3, 2023," the charges state. "Due to the lack of an existing divorce case, the certificate of divorce was determined to have been forged by Wade Peacock."
Further investigation using the Utah County Clerk's website revealed "that two marriages exist under Wade Peacock's name," the charges allege, and police were able to get copies of two marriage licenses on file for Peacock.
