South Salt Lake councilman arrested, accused of trespassing at council meeting
Mar 14, 2024, 1:36 PM | Updated: 5:12 pm
South Salt Lake City Councilman Paul Sanchez was arrested Wednesday for investigation of trespassing, a week after being formally censured by his fellow council members. (South Salt Lake City Council)
(South Salt Lake City Council)
SOUTH SALT LAKE — Councilman Paul Sanchez was arrested Wednesday and accused of trespassing after he was formally censured by fellow South Salt Lake council members a week ago.
Sanchez was censured for violating the council’s code of conduct through social media posts critical of elected officials, according to the council. Sanchez said he believes his fellow council members took action against him because he was trying to expose corruption within the city.
As part of the censure, the council required Sanchez to participate in meetings remotely and asked him to resign his position.
Sanchez was arrested by a South Salt Lake police officer Wednesday evening when he tried to gain access to City Hall about an hour and a half before a scheduled City Council meeting, according to a police booking affidavit.
“(Sanchez) was met by officers at the front door,” the arrest report states, before being “verbally trespassed” and “provided with a written notice of trespass.”
He then “refused to leave and stated that officers will have to arrest him as he was not going to leave,” the affidavit states. “(Sanchez) was taken into custody without incident.”
Sanchez was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail for investigation of criminal trespass.
In an interview with KSL, Sanchez said barring him from attending a council meeting in person is a violation of his First Amendment rights of free expression, which is why he attended in person Wednesday.
“And my attorney said, ‘Hey, Paul, you have to get arrested if that’s what it means. They have to take away your rights first,'” he said.
He said he had alerted law enforcement about his intent to show up prior to the meeting, and said he was taken into custody about 5:30 p.m. Sanchez went on to call his treatment in jail “abysmal” and said he was planning to file a lawsuit against the city and police department.
A South Salt Lake City representative sent a statement to KSL, saying, “While it is unfortunate that the City has been forced to take these actions, we are obligated to conduct city business in a safe environment and protect the City Council members and staff – as well as the residents and community members who attend the City Council Meetings.”
