Richard W. Hart, a jazz guitarist who organized the St. George Jazz Festival in 1994 and 1995, was sentenced to five years probation Thursday.
Hart pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor charge of bank larceny on April 10. U.S. District Court Judge Tena Campbell said Hart must also pay restitution of $17,746 to U.S. Bank, the successor to Sun Capital Bank.As a condition of his sentence, Hart must undergo mental health treatment and counseling. He must also allow access to all of his financial information during his probation and may not take a line of credit unless approved by au-thori-ties.
He was indicted by a federal grand jury in October 1997 on charges of bank fraud and making a false statement to a bank.
Hart had a bank account at Sun Capital in St. George to pay festival expenses, but just before the October 1995 festival, the account was short of money to pay performers.
Hart received permission from the bank president for a temporary $4,800 overdraft, but misrepresented the amount of the approved overdraft as $17,746 to a teller.
She gave him that amount in three cashier's checks.