Taylorsville • Bruce Wisan, the man in charge of a state-run, polygamous trust, appeared in court Thursday on a misdemeanor charge of soliciting a prostitute.
Taylorsville Justice Court Judge Marsha Thomas set a pre-trial conference for Nov. 21, and a trial for Dec. 4.
Wisan, 68, has pleaded not guilty. If convicted of the class B misdemeanor, Wisan could face up to six months in jail.
Taylorsville City Attorney Tracy Cowdell said the prosecutor and Wisan's attorney had "substantive plea negotiations" Thursday, but did not reach an agreement. Cowdell declined to elaborate.
"We wouldn't have brought this case without compelling evidence," Cowdell said.
Wisan's attorney, Greg Skordas, said he and the prosecutor agreed to meet later to evaluate their cases and try to reach a resolution.
"The prosecutors and we agreed to disagree a little bit about the facts," Skordas said.
Prosecutors also have filed a contempt of court case against Wisan for failing to appear in court to testify against the woman accused of being the prostitute. Discussion of that matter also was postponed until Nov. 21.
The case centers on March 20, 2013, when a Unified Police Department officer found Wisan and the woman in a motel on Redwood Road. According to a police report, Wisan said he was helping the woman "financially until she got back onto her feet."
The officer asked if Wisan had any sexual contact with the woman.
"Bruce stated he had not," the officer wrote, "and that he was only helping her with money."
Wisan said he met the woman on the Internet, according to the report and a deposition Wisan gave July 30 in a UEP-related lawsuit. The officer returned to questioning the woman, who said Wisan "was just a friend helping her out financially."
The woman at first denied she and Wisan had sex, but then said she and Wisan had engaged in sexual activity, according to the officer's report.
When the officer told Wisan what the woman said about sex, "Bruce was hesitant to talk anymore at this time," the officer wrote. He did not answer questions about sex.
Wisan previously had been called as a witness in the misdemeanor case against the suspected prostitute. He was issued a subpoena to testify in Taylorsville Justice Court for a trial in June and another in July. He did not appear either time.
Wisan's attorney, Catherine Cleveland, has said Wisan was out of town for the June date. For the July trial, Wisan was testifying in Salt Lake City at a hearing regarding the UEP. Cleveland appeared on Wisan's behalf at the July trial, which was canceled after the 26-year-old defendant failed to appear.
A warrant has been issued for her arrest, though Cowdell said he has been in contact with her attorney and they are discussing a plea deal for her, too.
Taylorsville prosecutors filed the solicitation charge against Wisan on Aug. 5.
The UEP is the trust holding most of the property in Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Ariz., as well as property in Bountiful, British Columbia. The trust was formerly operated by the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Utah seized the trust in 2005 over concerns that FLDS President Warren Jeffs was mismanaging it and residents were at risk of losing their homes.
Wisan has filed a notice saying he is willing to be terminated as fiduciary if 3rd District Judge Denise Lindberg, who presides over the UEP case, sees fit. The attorneys general in Utah and Arizona have filed motions with Lindberg asking that she replace Wisan with his former accounting partner, former Utah Lt. Gov. Val Oveson.
Lindberg has not ruled on the motions.
Wisan retired from his accounting firm Aug. 11.
ncarflisle@sltrib.com
Twitter: @tribunepolygamy
