Mark Warren Sands' former Utah co-workers say they were shocked when they learned he is now being investigated by law enforcers as a possible eco-terrorist.
Sands faces a 22-count federal indictment on arson and extortion charges. If convicted, he faces up to 300 years in prison and $5.5 million in fines.
The former spokesman for University Hospital is accused of destroying luxury homes under construction near desert mountain preserves in Arizona. Court documents accuse him of setting eight fires at homes in Phoenix and suburban Scottsdale between April 9, 2000, and Jan. 18, 2001.
Investigators are also looking into whether Sands can be connected with three other fires in preserve areas dating back to 1998.
His trial was scheduled for Aug. 7.
Sands is accustomed to having his face on TV but for a completely different reason. From 1978 to 1982, Sands was one of the primary spokesmen at University Hospital in Salt Lake City.
He became the main point of contact for the media when a marathon operation separated twins Lisa and Elisa Hansen, who were conjoined at the head. Sands also kept the media updated during Barney Clark's historic surgery with the Jarvik-7 artificial heart in 1982.
After working at the U., Sands spent a short time at LDS Hospital from 1983 to 1984 as that hospital's spokesman.
Former University Hospital spokesman John Dwan worked with Sands.
"I didn't see anything strange or different about him," Dwan said.
Dwan said the last time he saw or heard from Sands was about 15 years ago.
Other former co-workers said Sands was a good worker. "He was an energetic, bright employee," said current U. Public Affairs director Anne Brillinger.
Sands was never one who talked about destruction of the environment, she said.
The indictment says Sands wrote letters to at least one homeowner and a contractor against rebuilding the homes, stating, "Thou shalt not desecrate God's creation."
Sands was arrested in April after authorities said he was seen scrawling the letters "CSP" on a sign at a home under construction near the Phoenix Mountain Preserve. He was later released because prosecutors did not meet a deadline for filing charges.
The indictment said "CSP" and "Coalition to Save the Preserve" was found on the letters Sands is accused of circulating at some of the arson scenes. The acronym was also found in notes and letters sent to the media.
Notes protesting development in the scenic desert land were left after some of the recent arson fires. Scrawled across a sign in April 2000 was: "If you build it again, we will burn it again." After an October fire, a typed letter was left at the scene with warnings against building in the desert.
Federal authorities have yet to comment on a possible motive.