San Juan County Sheriff’s Office illegally used bank account for years, audit finds

SALT LAKE CITY — A state audit found a sheriff’s office in Utah operated a bank account for years in violation of state law.

State Auditor John Dougall said the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office operated this account without any real oversight, which is a problem when it comes to making sure public money is spent properly.

“A sheriff can’t have an account all to himself,” Dougall said.

But the audit found that’s essentially what happened in the small county in southeastern Utah.

“It went back several sheriffs over many years,” Dougall said, noting that millions of dollars flowed through the account during that time.

Audit findings

Dougall said his office initially received a complaint stating the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office had sole oversight of a bank account holding county funds.

“While the Sheriff’s Office had maintained the bank account in question for many years and multiple sheriffs’ terms, the lack of oversight from the county commissioners, treasurer, and auditor is a violation of state statute,” the auditor’s office said in a release Monday.

Dougall said the bank account was set up for certain purposes at the county jail, but it basically became a slush fund.

“In addition to the prisoners, (it) started being used for office gifts and parties and other things like that,” he said.

This was against state law, Dougall said, because the county treasurer and auditor needed to have oversight of the account. Plus, he said, it needed to fall under the budget set by the county commission.

“It’s a protection to make sure the funds are used properly,” Dougall said.

But the auditor pointed out that San Juan County is working to fix the problem.

“They were really quick to understand what the concerns are,” Dougall said. “Really quick to bring it into compliance.”

Recommendations from the state auditor’s office included county officials implementing a control structure, auditing past account activity, and improving associated internal controls and policies.

Jamie Harvey, chair of the San Juan County Commission, echoed that in a letter to the auditor’s office.

“We believe that the adjustments made during the audit have established a more transparent process,” Harvey wrote, “ensuring that all received funds are visible to both the County Treasurer and County Clerk/Auditor.”

Harvey added that the county planned to provide training to the sheriff’s staff “on the appropriate procedures for cash disbursements from any fund.”

“Furthermore,” Harvey wrote, “the Sheriff’s Department will establish its own policies and procedures to promote understanding and compliance with critical legal and best practices.”

Dougall emphasized Harvey’s point that counties must maintain proper internal controls and oversight through the separation of duties.