Husband of Bluffdale mayor charged with assault, stalking, threats to opponent

BLUFFDALE, Utah – Jason C. Hall, spouse of current Bluffdale Mayor Natalie Hall, was charged with multiple crimes related to threats against Bluffdale City councilman Jeff Gaston.

Jason Hall is charged with assault by threatening elected officials – a third degree felony, stalking, and threats to influence official or public action.

In 2021, Gaston was a political candidate, running against Natalie Hall in mayoral election, but dropped out of the race due to the threats and harassment he received.

Over the course of ten months, Jason Hall threatened Gaston with emails, packages delivered to his residence, gag gifts and notes delivered to Bluffdale City Offices, and letters. The probable cause court documents present an alleged timeline of some of those events:

Emails were sent to Gaston as early as March 5, 2021.

The first package was delivered on March 9, 2021 and contained a a children’s book on anger management along with two notes. One note stated the following, “Hey Imbecile !!!!!! Move out of Bluffdale, apologize or kill yourself. It’s time for you to start watching your back. This is your final warning. We are moving to the next phase. Do what we ask, or we will do what must be done.”

On March 9, 2021, gag gifts were sent in packages to the city council with instructions of how to use the gifts to “survive city council,” in regards to Gaston during council meetings.

On March 24, 2021, Gaston received a letter stating: “it has become very clear lately our messages are not getting across to you. We are ready to move to the next phase. You will no longer have the will to live in Bluffdale. It’s time we put you down like the Dog you are, not a statesman.”

Other threatening and harassing emails were sent in June and July from the same address as previous emails in March, with similar language.

Another package arrived November 2, 2021 at Gaston’s residence.

Court documents state, “Due to the threats and intimidating communications and not knowing how many individuals might be involved, J.G, elected not to pursue his election campaign prior to the filing deadline.”

Evidence contends Jason Hall enlisted the help of one of his employees to mail and deliver several items. That associate is currently under investigation according to a release from the Utah Attorney General’s Office.

The release also states, “Between March and December of 2021, Hall is charged with threatening Gaston multiple times and in multiple ways:  Physically at a Bluffdale City park, also verbal threats in person, through anonymous delivery of gag gifts, demeaning and intimidating messages to his home and workplace, assault, obtaining or disseminating information to family, and co-workers.”