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The deputy director of the state's Motor Vehicle Enforcement Division was charged Monday with illegally using his position to get a substantial discount on the purchase of a vehicle.

Curtis Stoddard, 47, was charged in 4th District Court with second-degree felony counts of improper use of employee's position and illegally accepting a gift or compensation.

Stoddard was arrested at his office Monday, according to Motor Vehicle Enforcement Division spokesman Charlie Roberts. He has since been placed on administrative leave.

Stoddard was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail, where bail was set at $15,000. No court dates were immediately set.

Stoddard's job responsibilities included overseeing and auditing fleet sales for the state, as well as regulating and enforcing rules for auto dealerships, according to charging documents penned by an FBI agent.

In August 2012, Stoddard wanted to purchase a demonstration vehicle from Ken Garff Ford in American Fork, according charges. But because the car Stoddard wanted wasn't available, a Ken Garff employee ordered a new car that met Stoddard's specifications.

That car, a four-wheel drive Ford Explorer XLT, was then driven around, primarily by a Ken Garff employee, "for the sole purpose of adding mileage to make it used," charges state.

To sell a vehicle as "used," it must have over 7,500 miles, or have been previously titled, according to charges.

In September 2012, Stoddard bought the SUV, at which time the mileage was 5,878.

Since the vehicle did not meet the minimum mileage threshold for a used car from a dealership, it was titled to Ken Garff for a brief period, through the cooperation of a Ken Garff employee who worked in fleet sales to the state of Utah, charges state.

The employee had ordered the SUV as a "demo" and had it driven for a short time so it could be sold to Stoddard as a used vehicle, charges state.

"The vehicle was never actually used as a demo," charges state.

"It appears the 'used' designation was made in an effort to disguise the fact that the price was significantly lower than it would have been had Stoddard been a traditional purchaser of a new automobile," charges state.

The list price was $36,415, but Stoddard bought it for about $28,500, charges state.

Because the purchase price was $7,924.29 below list price, "the amount of the gift that Stoddard received was $7,924.29," charges state.

Stoddard was previously the division's chief investigator for four years and started his career with the Utah Highway Patrol, Roberts said.

A spokesman for the Utah Attorney General's Office, which is prosecuting the case, said that the Ken Garff employee who allegedly helped Stoddard buy the SUV had not been charged, but that the investigation was ongoing.

Ken Garff did not return calls seeking comment.

An initial court appearance was set for March 29.