This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

More than two years after he was slapped with criminal charges, the Utah man dubbed a "fixer" for ex-Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff is headed for a trial.

Timothy Lawson was charged in December 2013 with six felonies — including counts of tax evasion, witness tampering, obstruction of justice and a pattern of unlawful conduct — stemming from allegations that he attempted to intimidate or threaten individuals with ties to Shurtleff and his successor, former Utah Attorney General John Swallow.

On Monday, the Provo businessman appeared in 3rd District Court and waived a preliminary hearing that would have provided a first glimpse at the evidence Salt Lake County prosecutors relied on as the basis for the charges.

Judge Katie Bernards-Goodman has set an arraignment for June 20.

Lawson, 51, has not yet entered a formal plea to the charges. The two most serious counts each carry a punishment of up to 15 years in prison. The others are each punishable by terms of up to five years.

Lawson, who brought a service dog and oxygen dispenser with him to court, remains free on $250,000 bail.

Lawson was the first person charged amid state, federal and legislative investigations of Shurtleff and Swallow after allegations surfaced of public corruption inside Utah's top law enforcement office.

The former attorneys general, both Republicans, were charged in 2014 and have pleaded not guilty to multiple felony and misdemeanor counts in separate cases.

Court papers accuse Lawson of attempting to intimidate or threaten businessmen with direct and indirect ties to Shurtleff in incidents dating back to 2008. Prosecutors also say Lawson took $120,000 from one of them for access to Shurtleff, but never disclosed the money on tax returns.

In February, prosecutors leveled new charges against Lawson, alleging in court papers that he bilked the federal Social Security Administration out of nearly $90,000.

In that case, Lawson is charged with one count each of communications fraud, theft by deception and making false or inconsistent material statements. Each is punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

Court papers says that in April 2012 and September 2013, Lawson falsely told administrative judges from the Social Security Office of Disability Adjudication and Review that since 2009 he had been unemployed or worked fewer than five hours a week.

The claims resulted in a January 2014 award of $86,810 to him and his family, court papers say.

Prosecutors say, however, that in 2009 and 2010, Lawson reported to the Utah Department of Workforce Services that he owned a share in a Marshall Islands-based hovercraft business and operated a gluten-free bakery.

The next hearing in that case also will be June 20 before 3rd District Judge Paul Parker.

jdobner@sltrib.com