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Prosecutors have charged Carbon County's emergency operations director with 20 felony counts related to an alleged theft of nearly $3,000 in county funds.

Jason Thomas Llewelyn, 45, is also a county sheriff's deputy with 10 years of service and a Helper city councilman who is on the ballot for re-election in November.

Llewelyn was charged Tuesday in Price's 7th District Court with 20 counts of misuse of public funds. Each count is a third-degree felony punishable by up to five years in prison.

Court papers provide no details of the allegations, although each count appears to be tied to a specific amount — charges ranging from a low of about $33 to a high of $399. In all, the counts total $2,790.67.

The charging documents say the alleged crimes took place during July.

Llewelyn was arrested and booked in to the neighboring Emery County jail in Castle Dale last week. Bail was set at $10,000.

During an initial court appearance via closed circuit television on Wednesday, Llewelyn claimed he was indigent and needed the assistance of a public defender. Another hearing is set for Sept. 8.

Carbon County's sheriff's office announced the arrest in a press release, which said the charges were related to credit card fraud and misuse of public funds.

Llewelyn is on paid administrative leave pending the adjudication of his case.

Telephone messages left for Carbon County Sheriff Jeff Wood and County Attorney Gene Strate were not immediately returned on Wednesday.

None of the charges are related to Llewelyn's city council duties, Helper officials said Wednesday.

Mayor Ed Chavez said the council could ask Llewelyn to resign his post, but that he was still gathering information about the situation.

"At this point, he's not been convicted of anything," Chavez said.

Chavez said he planned to meet with prosecutors and visit Llewelyn in jail on Wednesday and then would consult with the city's own attorney and the rest of the council.