In a post shared on the Garfield County Sheriff’s Facebook page, it was shared that an individual has been convicted for a Hate Crime in Garfield County.

Joseph Taft Dawson from Sandy Utah was convicted in Garfield County Sixth District Court on Dec. 4 on a Class A Misdemeanor on a Hate Crime charge for vandalizing a “Back The Blue” sign on Aug. 11 in Escalante.

Mr. Dawson was sentenced to Probation for 1 year, fined $500 and will have to serve jail time in the Garfield County Jail.

Garfield County has had other problems concerning vandalism within its county on public lands and the Garfield County sheriff’s office shared that they are very pleased with this conviction.