A former Marine who said he’s worried about veterans losing jobs has paid the fine for one of the women convicted of producing the list of 1,300 alleged undocumented immigrants.

A court docket confirms Ted Van Meeteren on Thursday paid the $440 in fines and fees for Leah D. Carson. Carson received the fines and fees earlier this month after pleading guilty in Midvale Justice Court to a misdemeanor count of false statement by an unemployment compensation agent. A judge also sentenced Carson to 12 months of probation.

Van Meeteren, of Ogden, is the state representative for American Combat Veterans of War. In a telephone interview Thursday, Van Meeteren said he has heard from veterans who have lost jobs and been replaced with undocumented immigrants.

"We can’t be Mexico’s social welfare program forever," Van Meeteren said. "It’s getting out of hand."

A second defendant in the list case, Teresa Bassett, entered an Alford plea to two felony counts of computer crimes. The plea means Bassett maintains her innocence but acknowledges there is enough evidence to convict her. A judge sentenced Bassett, who earlier this year changed her name to London Grace Wellington, to 36 months of probation and 250 hours of community service.

With no fines to pay, Van Meeteren doubted he could do anything to lighten Bassett’s sentence.

"If Teresa will get in touch with us I’m going to give her a cross of gallantry," Van Meeteren said.

Carson and Bassett were state employees at the Department of Workforce Services and, according to prosecutors, compiled a list of applicants for state aid they believed were undocumented immigrants. The list had the names, addresses, telephone numbers and dates of birth for about 1,300 applicants. Bassett mailed the list to news outlets and law enforcement agencies in July, according to prosecutors.

Van Meeteren said he has spoken with people who worked with Carson and Bassett and those co-workers also were frustrated with undocumented immigrants applying for benefits. Van Meeteren declined to specify to whom or how many of the co-workers he spoke. Van Meeteren added that he believes Bassett compiled and distributed the list.

"From the evidence we’ve seen and what we were told by some of her co-workers, she was involved," Van Meeteren said.

State officials have said most of the names on the list were people legally receiving benefits or were the parents of U.S.-born children receiving benefits.

Van Meeteren on Thursday also claimed he received a telephone threat hours after telling a television reporter about his plan to pay the fine and fees. Van Meeteren said the voice had a Latino accent and told him he better not "come down here."

Van Meeteren told the caller he intended to anyway and the caller used a Spanish swear word and added: "... you’ll get yours," Van Meeteren said. Van Meeteren said the call came from a number listed as "unavailable" and he does not know who it was. The call prompted Van Meeteren to ask for an escort to Midvale Justice Court, and other veterans and members of the Utah Minuteman Project accompanied him.

The website for American Combat Veterans of War makes no mention of immigration or immigration policy. The organization is based in California. Van Meeteren said he acted without consulting the group and plans to brief the director.

ncarlisle@sltrib.com