Local man sentenced for paying local businesses and sellers with bad checks

Paul Yantis during sentencing connected Monday. | Kaitlyn Hart, EastIdahoNews.com

IDAHO FALLS — A 20-year-old has been sentenced for 2 cases successful which he bought trucks, ATVs, and much pinch checks without having money successful his slope account.

Paul Yantis was sentenced successful Bonneville County connected Monday by District Judge Dane Watkins Jr. to a minimum of 2 and a half years and a maximum of six years successful prison. He will besides beryllium required to salary restitution to nan victims successful nan case.

Watkins past retained jurisdiction and placed Yantis connected a “rider,” which requires him to complete a one-year curen programme successful prison. Once nan programme ends, Watkins tin determine whether to nonstop Yantis to situation for his fixed condemnation aliases merchandise him connected probation.

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Yantis was initially charged successful Bonneville County pinch felony burglary, felony expansive theft and felony check, draught aliases bid drawn connected an relationship pinch insufficient funds. He was besides charged successful Bingham County pinch felony check, draught aliases bid drawn connected an relationship pinch insufficient funds, felony burglary and a probation violation.

In April, Yantis accepted a “global” plea statement for some aforementioned cases. In it, he agreed to plead blameworthy to an amended complaint successful Bonneville of felony drafting a cheque pinch insufficient funds, and nan aforesaid complaint successful Bingham, while nan prosecution agreed to disregard nan remaining charges successful some cases.

On June 10, Yantis was sentenced successful Bingham County to 2 and a half years of felony probation. Both sentences will tally concurrently.

Yantis antecedently grounded to look for aggregate hearings and a sentencing successful these cases, and a warrant was issued successful Bingham County for a probation violation, and 2 felony warrants were issued successful Bonneville County.

He was yet arrested and booked into nan Bingham County Jail earlier being moved to Bonneville to look his charges there.

Paul Yantis | Bonneville County Jail

Yantis still has 2 remaining cases against him for akin allegations successful Bonneville and Madison County.

He is scheduled to look for a assemblage proceedings successful Bonneville County successful a abstracted lawsuit connected Nov. 25, wherever he is charged pinch felony burglary and felony forgery.

Sentencing

Because Yantis has aggregate different tribunal cases which person not yet been settled, Watkins discussed pinch nan attorneys whether aliases not to proceed pinch sentencing Monday morning.

“We’ve been calendared successful nan past for sentencing, and location person been further moving parts,” said Watkins. “We admit that Bingham County conducted their sentencing, and location was an further Bonneville County lawsuit that was slowing things down.”

After deciding to proceed pinch sentencing, Bonneville County Prosecutor Randy Neal recommended a word of probation for Yantis arsenic outlined successful nan plea agreement, mentioning that Yantis still has different Bonneville County lawsuit that needs to beryllium settled.

“Based connected nan constricted circumstances there, nan authorities is going to urge probation successful compliance pinch that plea agreement,” said Neal. “We will time off nan statement pinch that, Judge.”

Yantis’ defense attorney, John Thomas based on that Yantis whitethorn person intelligence wellness issues, that caused him to acquisition nan ATV’s, and different vehicles successful a “manic state.”

“I deliberation there’s a intelligence wellness constituent present that needs to beryllium addressed pinch Mr. Yantis. I don’t deliberation it’s just, you know, a misunderstanding of ‘Hey I thought I was conscionable gonna constitute a cheque and I didn’t,'” said Thomas. “I deliberation this is perchance immoderate bipolar-type behaviour wherever he becomes manic. He went retired and bought respective vehicles, a side-by-side and a four-wheeler. Then he conscionable couldn’t salary for them, truthful he had to return them back.”

Thomas says he does not deliberation his customer scammed group “maliciously,” but did it because of intelligence illness.

“I don’t deliberation that Mr. Yantis was needfully doing this maliciously, aliases trying to skate connected having to salary for these vehicles, I deliberation that location is thing that tin beryllium addressed while he is connected probation arsenic acold arsenic intelligence wellness goes,” said Thomas. “I surely deliberation each of this could beryllium done connected probation.”

In closing, Thomas mentioned that he does not judge nan prosecution would person agreed to urge probation if they had known that Yantis was going to beryllium charged pinch much felonies successful different counties astatine nan clip nan signed nan plea agreement.

“I recognize that nan authorities astir apt would not person made this statement had they known each of nan different issues Mr. Yantis had successful different counties, and moreover successful this county,” said Thomas. “But, it is what it is, and this is very uncommon that this type of business comes up.”

Yantis provided a short connection to nan court, telling Watkins location was nary malicious intent to his actions.

“There was nary malicious intent successful nan crimes committed successful this case. I understand that I took a different route, but it’s, for illustration he said, location was nary destructive intent,” said Yantis. “I understand my mistakes there, pinch that I would inquire for probation.”

Watkins addressed Yantis earlier pronouncing sentence, saying he doesn’t judge that each business was without malice, and that

“The connection that location was nary malicious intent, I don’t cognize that nan tribunal accepts that entirely. Your cognition appeared to beryllium loose, and it was a financial 1 successful which location were obligations coming and going, your anticipation that you would beryllium paid and you would trust connected that,” said Watkins. “You simply were incapable to execute nether this case, and nan existent mobility is, astatine what constituent did you travel to that consciousness that you would not beryllium capable to execute and proceed to run successful this loose way?”