By Tracie Sullivan, For Iron County Today
A Cedar City man is headed to prison after he kept a rental car and falsely blamed someone else for stealing it.
Adrain Joseph Elizondo, 43, was sentenced Oct. 13 to one to 15 years in the Utah State Prison for second-degree felony theft and up to five years for third-degree felony obstruction of justice.
Fifth District Judge Meb Anderson ordered the sentences to run concurrently, meaning Elizondo will serve them at the same time. He received credit for 96 days in jail.
Chief Deputy Iron County Attorney Shane Klenk asked the court to impose prison time, citing Elizondo’s criminal history.
“He has multiple prior felony convictions, has previously served prison time, and was already on felony probation when he committed this offense. He has also accumulated additional felony conduct in Nevada during this same period,” Klenk argued, according to Evans.
Defense attorney Ron Noyes argued for probation. Anderson took the matter under advisement before returning to announce the sentence, according to court minutes.
Elizondo was convicted of both felonies Aug. 25. Two additional charges — making a written false statement and providing false information to law enforcement, both class B misdemeanors — were dismissed.
The case began when Elizondo reported to Cedar City police Feb. 12 that an acquaintance had taken his rental vehicle from his home without permission and failed to return it, according to charging documents filed in 5th District Court May 6, in support of the arrest.
Police entered the vehicle as stolen, but investigators later uncovered records that contradicted his account.
Elizondo had rented the vehicle from Enterprise Rent-A-Car on Jan. 30 and was required to return it the next day, the affidavit states.
Investigators found that he retained control of the vehicle beyond the return date, with rental records documenting multiple extensions and failed payment attempts.
License plate reader records showed the vehicle repeatedly traveling between Cedar City and Las Vegas during that period Elizondo claimed someone else had taken it. Those records also placed it in Las Vegas when he said it had been in Cedar City.
Las Vegas police identified Elizondo as the driver of the rental vehicle during a series of vehicle burglaries Feb. 4-7. Investigators cited surveillance footage showing a suspect matching his description driving the vehicle.
Security personnel later immobilized the car in a Las Vegas parking garage after it was linked to criminal activity. Elizondo reported it stolen after losing access to it.
Investigators also obtained phone records showing no communication between Elizondo and the acquaintance he accused, contradicting his claim that they had been in contact multiple times.
Anderson ordered Elizondo to report to the Iron County Jail by 9 a.m. Oct. 19 for transport to prison. No fines or fees were imposed, and restitution remains to be determined.