Former Utah Republican chairman Charles W. "Chuck" Akerlow and a Farmington man were arraigned Monday on charges of conspiracy and tax evasion in a brief appearance before U.S. Magistrate Calvin Gould.
Akerlow and Richard J. Anderson pleaded not guilty to all counts.Gould released the defendants on their own recognizance. Trial was set for Jan. 2.
The felony indictment accuses the men of conspiracy and six counts of tax evasion. The indictment says that from about August 1983 to at least Oct. 20, 1988, Akerlow, Anderson and others conspired to impede the Internal Revenue Service by defeating collection of federal excise tax.
It says Akerlow was chairman of the board of directors of Pacific Western Resources and Pacific Western Industries. Anderson, a certified public accountant, was president of the companies until Oct. 1, 1984, it adds.
"It's not in my best interests to discuss this thing, and my counsel's advised me not to," Akerlow told the Deseret News. "We did not enter our pleas lightly.
"We believe the jury will find us not guilty, and we've put our trust in that system." Later, he added, "We firmly believe we are not guilty."