Utah News Dispatch
After being censured, South Salt Lake councilman arrested for trying to enter City Hall
South Salt Lake Councilman Paul Sanchez was arrested Wednesday after he tried to enter city hall, violating a censure imposed on him by the council the week before. It’s the latest in weeks of drama surrounding Sanchez, who has levied serious allegations at South Salt Lake city officials — including the mayor’s “involvement in corruption” […]
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South Salt Lake City Councilman Paul Sanchez. (Photo courtesy of Paul Sanchez)
South Salt Lake Councilman Paul Sanchez was arrested Wednesday after he tried to enter city hall, violating a censure imposed on him by the council the week before.
It’s the latest in weeks of drama surrounding Sanchez, who has levied serious allegations at South Salt Lake city officials — including the mayor’s “involvement in corruption” — which ultimately led to the City Council censuring him.
That censure barred Sanchez from stepping foot in South Salt Lake City Hall while a City Council meeting is taking place, requiring him to instead attend virtually. But on Wednesday, Sanchez attempted to enter the building anyway.
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He was arrested for criminal trespassing at about 5:20 p.m. outside the building. According to an affidavit, South Salt Lake Police officers met him at the front door. Sanchez refused to leave, documents state, telling officers they would have to arrest him.
Police did just that, taking Sanchez into custody “without incident,” the affidavit states.
“While it is unfortunate that the City has been forced to take these actions, we are obligated to conduct city business in a safe environment and protect the City Council members and staff — as well as the residents and community members who attend the City Council Meetings,” said South Salt Lake Mayor Cherie Wood in a statement.
Sanchez has a history of making charged allegations about South Salt Lake officials.
His Facebook page is a long stream of corruption accusations. And during a February meeting before he was censured, he listed off a number of current and former City Council members and law enforcement officers, including the city’s police chief, accusing them of being complicit in a “troubling” culture. He told the council he had submitted evidence to the Utah Attorney General’s office requesting an investigation.
And just a few days before his arrest, he posted on Facebook referring to South Salt Lake Police officers being involved in “alleged orgies at the mayor’s house, excessive drinking and the department’s purported connection to sex, human and drug trafficking through homeless centers.”
In an interview Thursday, Sanchez said he “stands by every statement I’ve made and they’re unwilling to address a counter argument.”
Sanchez’s arrest comes about a week after the South Salt Lake City Council unanimously censured him, suspending him from putting items on the council’s agenda, conducting formal meetings, traveling for city-related business and serving in a leadership role or on a committee.
The motion also requests that he resign. The censure will remain in effect until the end of Sanchez’s term in 2027, or if he goes 90 days without violating the council’s code of conduct.
That code of conduct was adopted by the City Council on Feb. 28, directing council members to “model civility … in order to promote respectful and civil interactions with members of the public, City staff, and other elected officials and to provide an appropriate atmosphere in which to conduct necessary City business,” the mayor told Utah News Dispatch on Thursday.
About a week later on March 5, Sanchez was presented with a notice of allegations describing the violation of the code — the next day, the council formally censured him.
“Councilman Sanchez’s actions have created fear and have distracted us from city business,” said Councilmember Sharla Bynum during the March 5 meeting, after the council emerged from a session closed to the public.
Sanchez, during the meeting, warned the censure would set a precedent “where fear overrides freedom,” and called for the mayor’s resignation for her “involvement in corruption and failure to lead effectively.” He requested the Utah Attorney General’s Office appoint a replacement.
Sanchez said he has no plans to follow the censure — he said he will try to attend next week’s City Council meeting in person. He also plans to file a civil lawsuit against South Salt Lake.
“I am actively working behind the scenes to make sure that corruption does not go unanswered,” Sanchez said.
Video posted to Sanchez’s Facebook page shows him confronting officers outside City Hall before the arrest.
“You’re not allowed to come inside,” one of the officers says to Sanchez, who fires back, “No, you’re going to arrest me. I’m coming inside.”
“That’s your choice,” the officer responded.
“Of course it is … you are literally infringing on my First Amendment rights, you understand that? You arrest me and I’m coming for your badge, your badge, your badge, all of your badges,” Sanchez says to the officers. “You understand that, right?”
A trespass notice Sanchez shows in the video states he is “not allowed to enter or use any City facility at which a meeting of the City Council is being held…violation of this notice may result in criminal charges against you.”
Sanchez on Thursday told Utah News Dispatch he believes he was wrongly arrested.
“If a city councilmember issues an order, it’s their First Amendment right to issue it. But there’s no teeth behind it,” Sanchez said, calling the censure “hot air.”
In an interview, Sanchez said he was “testing their authority” when he showed up at the city hall. Instead of upholding the Constitution, he said police officers were “upholding what the mayor is telling you to do.”
“I was surprised how aggressive they were in their arrest. They treated me like a common criminal, or worse,” Sanchez said.
This is the second time this year an elected official in Utah has faced a high-profile censure. In February, the Utah State Board of Education voted unanimously to censure board member Natalie Cline after she posted a photo of a high school athlete on social media, falsely suggesting the girl was transgender. The following day, the Utah Legislature also voted to censure Cline, choosing not to pursue an option to impeach her.
Cline, who has faced numerous calls to resign, is seeking reelection.
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