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You can once again donate money online to help defend Ogden police shooting suspect Matthew Stewart, but you won't be able to write it off.
Stewart's family posted a notice on their website Sunday saying they were again collecting donations, but advised supporters that helpmatthewstewart.org is not a charitable organization. The disclaimer was meant to satisfy the Utah Division of Consumer Protection, which has told the Stewart family they must register for a state permit in order to be a charity soliciting donations.
But the department in a statement released Monday said the warning doesn't pass muster.
"To date, the Division has not issued a permit, nor has it given this group permission to continue soliciting donations through their website with an amended disclosure," the statement said. "The Division has contacted the attorney for the website's owners and made them aware that they must discontinue solicitations immediately until they come into compliance with the law and obtain a legal permit. Failure to do so will potentially subject this group to a Citation and fines."
Stewart's father, Michael Stewart, on Monday said the family has received a few thousand dollars since it began collecting money. The cash, he said, will go toward a private attorney and investigators to defend Stewart on one charge of capital murder and other felonies.
A judge has appointed two public defenders to represent Stewart, but the suspect's father said his son still wants a private attorney, Randall Richards, to represent him.
"He has nothing, and now they're trying to take his house," Michael Stewart said, referring to efforts by Weber County to seize his son's home on allegations he was growing marijuana there.
The Weber-Morgan Narcotics Strike Force on Jan. 4 served a search warrant on Stewart's home at 3268 Jackson Ave. in Ogden. In court papers, police say they repeatedly knocked on Stewart's door and announced their presence, and when no one answered, they entered the home.
Stewart, 37, is accused by prosecutors of hiding until police entered the home and then shooting. Agent Jared Francom was killed in the shootout and five other officers were wounded.
Stewart, who was working a night-shift job at the time of the shooting, has told The Salt Lake Tribune he was sleeping and didn't hear police knock or announce themselves. Stewart said he began firing at what he thought were intruders and was shot twice in the gun battle.
Stewart is being held without bail in the Weber County Jail. Weber County Attorney Dee Smith has filed a notice to seek the death penalty in his case.
Twitter: @natecarlisle —
Collections for officers, too
You can donate to the families of the wounded Ogden and strike force officers at any Bank of Utah branch.