Mormon Con Men avoid jail time (3 must repay victims of fraudulent movie deal)
Deseret News (AP) 29Aug99 L8
Mormon Con Men avoid jail time (3 must repay victims of fraudulent movie deal)

CEDAR CITY, UTAH -- Three con men who tricked their Cedar City neighbors out of almost $300,000 have been convicted and ordered to pay back the money. The three will also be on probation for the next 36 months, but will not serve any jail time.

In addition to the punishment, Judge James L. Shumate prohibited the three, David Harold Evans, Tracy Feltner, and Gary Messer, from going into business together. However, he did not prohibit them from associating with each other because they attend the same LDS congregation.

The con men used a film company called Oracle Films to collect money from victims who thought they were investing in a movie called "The Latch Key Kid." They claimed that the movie would star actor Gordon Jump, an LDS Church member who is best known for his role on the TV sitom "WKRP in Cincinnati." Jump said he never heard of the movie.

Shumate also told the men that the movie could still be made, if an independent and properly financed investor is found. Proceeds from the movie could then be used to pay the victims. But after sentencing, Iron County Attorney Scott Burns objected to this method for repaying the victims. "(The victims') church affiliation and friendships make it almost impossible for some of the victims to believe that these defendants would defraud or cheat them."