Utah County prosecutors plan to file an amended complaint soon charging a West Jordan man with more than 65 counts of communications fraud, racketeering and theft by deception in connection with the operation of the man's firewood business.
William H. Thompson, 39, appeared in court Wednesday for a waiver hearing on two counts of communications fraud, third-degree felonies, filed late last year. Deputy county attorney Phil Hadfield told 4th Circuit Judge E. Patrick McGuire that he intended to file the new charges and asked the matter to be set for a preliminary hearing. Hadfield said the hearing could take as long as one day because of the large number of witnesses that would be testifying.Investigators allege that Thompson, owner of Thompson Pinyon Pine, bilked more than 60 local residents out of more than $10,000. Last fall, Thompson ran advertisements in local papers offering three cords of wood for $200. However, customers were required to pay in advance. Investigators say that Thompson only delivered 20 of about 500 cords of wood that had been paid for.
Thompson is also being investigated in Salt Lake, Weber and Davis counties.