Copyright 2006 The Salt Lake Tribune
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By STEPHEN HUNT
The Salt Lake Tribune
A Salt Lake County man who pinned on a stolen badge and posed as a firefighter while lending a hand at emergencies was sentenced Monday to probation.
Patrick James Fredricksen, 20, not only listened to a police scanner and raced to accident scenes, he also stole firefighting equipment and used his faked status to lease an apartment and open lines of credit.
Fredricksen had pleaded guilty in 3rd District Court to third-degree felony theft by receiving and class B misdemeanor officer impersonation.
At a Monday sentencing hearing, he was ordered to complete counseling during his 36-month probation period. The sentence is concurrent to a one-year term Fredricksen is serving at the Emery County jail for a sex crime.
The Salt Lake County case triggered revocation of Fredricksen’s plea in abeyance in Emery County, where in 2004 he had pleaded guilty to third-degree felony unlawful sex with a minor.
Fredricksen had worked as a volunteer firefighter for the Huntington Fire Department in Emery County but was dismissed in 2003 for stealing clothing and equipment.