SALT LAKE CITY -- A veteran officer with the Unified Police Department was in court Monday on charges of falsifying DUI arrests and paying himself thousands of dollars in overtime money.
Stephen Hall faces a felony and several misdemeanor charges, which were filed in August. The allegations have cost him is career as a police officer.
Hall, a 20-year veteran of the old Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office and UPD, specialized in putting together DUI patrols.
Hall appeared before a judge in court Monday to set the next court date. The former officer said he plans to fight the allegations.
"I'm just going to follow the advice of my legal counsel and proceed with this and we'll contest the charges but that's all I'm prepared to say at this time, thanks Scott," Hall told Fox 13 reporter Scott McKane.
After a lengthy internal investigation was conducted by UPD in August, the district attorney charged Hall with a second-degree felony as well as several misdemeanors.
Prosecutors allege that while working as a deputy, Hall paid himself $14,000 in overtime pay through a DUI enforcement program by falsifying DUI arrests with fake names.
"Yeah this has been hard because of his career, because of his notoriety, the fact he was a distinguished peace officer who now had this brought upon him," said Greg Skordas, defense attorney.
Hall faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted of the charges.
The former officer will be back in court Oct. 24 for a preliminary hearing.
