This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2006, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Salt Lake City defense attorney Paul Gotay - whom federal prosecutors are trying to disqualify from representing a Layton couple charged with stealing school grant money - has a storied history in Utah's legal community.
In 1998 he brandished a gun at Mormon missionaries during an owner-tenant dispute at his Salt Lake City office building.
As the tenant was moving out with the aid of the missionaries, Gotay confronted him and accused him of trying to steal phone equipment.
Gotay ran upstairs and retrieved a gun, which he waved at the missionaries, threatening to kill them, according to police.
Gotay pleaded guilty to assault and attempted aggravated assault.
The Utah State Bar in 2000 filed a complaint against Gotay, alleging he violated professional rules of conduct by lying to police and prosecutors about the incident.
That complaint resulted in a 45-day suspension of Gotay's law license.
