Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
- Dalton West Slangerup is facing multiple charges accusing him of issuing bad checks in Utah.
- Police say he purchases and quickly resells vehicles using bounced checks.
- Slangerup's alleged actions have even prompted a warning website for potential victims.
FAIRVIEW, Sanpete County — New criminal charges have been filed against a Lehi man who is already facing numerous charges of purchasing snowmobiles, electric dirt bikes and other vehicles using checks that bounced, and then quickly selling those vehicles.
Dalton West Slangerup, 31, was charged Thursday in 6th District Court with four counts of issuing a bad check, a second-degree felony.
Slangerup, who is booked at the Utah County Jail, has already been charged in Utah and Tooele counties. As of Friday, he faces a total of 15 counts of issuing a bad check, nine counts of theft and two counts of communications fraud, all second-degree felonies. In all, eight cases have been filed in the three counties since Dec. 31. And investigators say there may be additional charges coming.
"Taking big-ticket items and writing out bad checks to steal them is (Slangerup's) modus operandi," according to charging documents filed in Tooele County's 3rd District Court.
Slangerup's alleged crimes are so widespread that someone created a website dedicated to warning others about doing business with him and asking anyone who may have been victimized by Slangerup to contact the police.
In Tooele, Slangerup is accused of purchasing a snowmobile for over $21,000 from Steadman's Recreation on a check that bounced, and later trying to make up for it by giving the business a credit card that was declined. He also wrote a check for more than $16,000 to purchase three electric bikes from Tooele Valley Motor Sports on one day, and a check for $10,700 for two more bikes the next day, charging documents state.
"Both checks bounced," according to the charges.
In Utah County, Slangerup is accused in one case of purchasing a snowmobile in American Fork for more than $21,000 and attempting to pay for it on three occasions using three checks. One of those checks bounced and two were written on closed accounts, according to charging documents. Three weeks after receiving the snowmobile, prosecutors say Slangerup sold it to another person for $15,000.
In another case in Provo, Slangerup purchased two electric dirt bikes from a man for more than $7,000.
"(Slangerup) wrote three different checks … from two different accounts to pay for the bikes and all three checks bounced. (The victim) reported that two checks were returned for insufficient funds and the third indicated that payment had been stopped," the charges allege, adding that Slangerup later told the man "that he no longer had the bikes and refused to provide legitimate payment."
In another Provo case, Slangerup is accused of writing a check to the Larry H. Miller Ford dealership for more than $107,000 for a 2024 F-350.
"The check bounced, and the dealership manager reported that (Slangerup) promised to wire the funds to the dealership," the charges state. "(Slangerup) did not pay the money and made several excuses as to why he could not pay."
The dealership took the truck back less than two months later. But "the dealership manager reported that when the truck was recovered, it had $5,000 worth of damage and 10,000 miles on it," the charges say.
Slangerup is also accused of telling an acquaintance that he accidentally deposited $15,000 into that person's account. Slangerup "frantically" called the acquaintance claiming he needed $12,000 immediately to complete payroll, according to charging documents. The man ended up sending Slangerup $3,000 through ApplePay and wrote a check for $9,000.
"(The acquaintance) reported that later that day, he received notice from his bank that his account had been locked for fraud and that the transfers from (Slangerup) had bounced. (He) reported that he had lost $15,000," the charges state.
Slangerup's latest criminal charges stem from allegedly writing bad checks to an ATV dealership in Fairview.
After he was arrested, police monitored a phone conversation from the Utah County Jail between Slangerup and another person.
"In the phone call, the person … asked why Slangerup had stolen from so many people. Slangerup (says) he feels guilty and has dug himself a hole financially," according to a police booking affidavit.
