Mahe hit with gas-guzzling charge

SALT LAKE CITY - Former Eagle Reno Mahe surrendered to authorities this week to face a criminal theft charge in Utah.

Mahe, 31, and four others are charged in Utah's 3rd District Court with stealing more than $15,000 in gasoline in 2010 from a construction company in a Salt Lake City suburb, according to court documents. Court records indicate that Mahe was booked into a Salt Lake County jail Thursday and released pending his next hearing. A scheduling conference in Mahe's case is set for Aug. 5.

Tevita Ofahengaue, like Mahe a former BYU football player, also is charged with a single count of theft, as are Michael Andrus, Mark Evers and Fred Prescott.

An affidavit of probable cause signed by Murray City Police Detective Tyler Evans said A-Core Concrete Cutting officials discovered Evers, one of their employees, was using a gas code to steal gasoline from the company for the last 4 years. The firm conducted an audit and calculated a loss of more than $55,000 between June 18, 2006, and Oct. 17, 2010.

The affidavit said video surveillance footage available for the final 3 months of the thefts observed Evers, and four of his friends, including Mahe, fill their personal vehicles with gas after business hours using the code. The detective said he viewed the video and determined Mahe was present during the theft of $2,688 worth of gasoline. Because the amount is more than $1,500, Mahe is charged with theft, a second-degree felony.

In a police interview, Evers admitted that he told all four at different times that he was not allowed to take gas from the company.

Mahe said that he has met the owner of A-Core and was even asked to speak at a mission farewell for the man's grandson.

"It wasn't like I needed [A-Core's] gas," he said at the time. "I'll pay, if that's the deal. I'll pay my portion back if he wasn't allowed to give it to me. I'm not worried about that part. As a man, you pay back your debts."