Beau Babka sometimes bought gasoline with a city credit card two and three times a day, minutes apart, according to purchasing records provided Thursday by Cottonwood Heights.

In one example from Nov. 29, Babka, a Cottonwood Heights police officer who lost the election for Salt Lake County sheriff last year and previously ran for Congress, bought 7.3 gallons of gas. Twenty minutes later, he bought another 12.2 gallons.

Both purchases were at a station in Draper, where Babka lives.

On Dec. 12, Babka bought gas three times from three different stations during a span of about eight hours. Babka didn't return messages seeking comment Thursday.

Cottonwood Heights administrators haven't stated the allegations against Babka, but two law enforcement sources told The Salt Lake Tribune that Babka is suspected of using a city credit card to buy gasoline for his personal vehicle.

If proven, the purchases could be considered a felony under Utah criminal statutes prohibiting the misuse of public money.

Cottonwood Heights has placed Babka on paid leave pending the outcome of an investigation. Babka earns $60,000 a year from Cottonwood Heights and another $8,820 from Salt Lake Community College, where he remains an instructor in the criminal-justice program, Utahsright.com says.

Cottonwood Heights Police Chief Robbie Russo said on Thursday that his staff met with a prosecutor from the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office but detectives are still collecting evidence.

The records released Thursday are only purchasing records and don't specify what car Babka was fueling. At the time, Babka was assigned to patrol Cottonwood Heights in a Dodge Charger with a 19-gallon fuel tank.

Russo, while not specifying the allegations against Babka, said the average patrol officer buys gas two or three times a week. Cottonwood Heights is one of the smallest incorporated cities in Salt Lake County at 6.8 square miles.

Babka purchased gasoline 27 times in the seven-week period from Nov. 11 to Dec. 29, according to the records. In all, he purchased 343 gallons at a cost of $886.

Babka sometimes bought as much as 17 gallons of gas at a time — and as little as less than 2 gallons.

He bought gas all seven days of the week. Fifteen of those purchases were at gas stations in Draper.

Russo said Cottonwood Heights' officers are allowed to drive their vehicles home and make personal stops along the way.

ncarlisle@sltrib.com