Arizona man gets prison term for threatening Mormons in Utah

An Arizona man has been sentenced to more than a year in federal prison for threatening members of the Mormon church in Utah.

Prosecutors say 72-year-old Richard Corrie Beals of Tucson was sentenced to 13 months and one day in prison and fined $5,000.

Beals was convicted after a jury trial on two counts of transmitting a communication containing a threat to kidnap or injure.

The evidence at trial showed Beals sent multiple threatening and harassing communications over an extended period of time, to various federal officials and private citizens in Salt Lake City.

Prosecutors say evidence also showed that many of Beals’ threats were directed at members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.