BLUFFDALE, Utah (ABC4) – The husband of Bluffdale Mayor Natalie Hall came under fire back in June of 2022 for allegedly making numerous threats against an elected official. He pleaded not guilty to those charges on Tuesday, Feb. 14.

Jason Christopher Hall, 48, has pleaded not guilty to threatening elected officials (third-degree felony), stalking (class A misdemeanor), and threats to influence official or public action (class A misdemeanor).

The alleged threats were made to a sitting Bluffdale councilman who was running against Mayor Natalie Hall, starting on March 5, 2021. The councilman reportedly received an email to his personal address from someone saying they were a long-time resident of Bluffdale and had been involved, either directly or indirectly, in politics for 35 years, according to court documents.

The writer reportedly stated that they’d had “high hopes” for him at the beginning of his political career, but they later found his “paper-thin skin” and “lack of experience” to be a “poor combination for a politician.” The email continues to accuse the councilman of “grandstanding,” being a “schoolyard bully,” “not a statesman,” and “defensive,” claiming he “lash[es] out viciously at anyone who contradicts [him].”

The email reportedly said: “Should we not see an apology to the mayor AND to the city for your temper tantrum, there will be significant efforts made to replace you when you are up for reelection,” as well as, “You should know that the wheels are in motion to render you irrelevant.” The final sentence read, “I write this letter on behalf of a group of like-minded conservatives who are determined to restore civility to our local politics,” court documents state.

No author was shown in the email, but a Special Agent working for the Utah Attorney General’s Office Investigations Division states that Hall admitted to having sent that email.

Four days after the email, on March 9, 2021, the councilman received a package at his home containing a children’s book on anger management and two notes, according to court documents. The first note read, “I hope this helps with your issues, buddy,” while a second note read, “Hey Imbecile !!!!!! Move out of Bluffdale, apologize or kill yourself. It’s time for you to start watching your back. This is your final warning. We are moving to the next phase. Do what we ask, or we will do what must be done.”

That same day, a man driving a white Chevrolet pickup truck reportedly delivered a large box containing gag gifts to the Bluffdale City offices, addressed to each councilman and the mayor. The gift bags were labeled as “City Council Meeting Kit.” Included in the package were instructions on how and when to use the gifts to deal with the councilman during council meetings, court documents state.

The gifts given reportedly came with individual notes attached, explaining each gift’s purpose. For example, a pair of reflective glasses with a note reading, “To hide your eye rolls at [the councilman’s] posturing and self-aggrandizement;” a baby’s bottle and formula with a note reading, “in case [the councilman] gets cranky and needs his ba-ba;” a baby’s “Binky,” with a note reading, “To help soothe you in case someone says something you don’t like. Poor little guy;” among others were all included in the package.

Authorities were able to later identify the white Chevy truck as being registered to a man who worked with Hall through video surveillance captured by the Bluffdale City Office’s security cameras.

Later that month, on March 24, 2021, the councilman received a letter stating, “It has become very clear lately our messages are not getting across to you. We are ready to move to the next phase. You will no longer have the will to live in Bluffdale. It’s time we put you down like the Dog you are, not a statesman.”

The alleged threats and harassment continued, with two emails documented during that summer that contained similar language.

On Aug. 14, 2021, Hall allegedly rented a political booth in the same area as one rented by the councilman. While at the booth, Hall threw political signs at the councilman, “striking him, causing piercing of the skin and bruising,” court documents state. Hall allegedly persisted in a “long discourse of berating, insulting and demeaning [the councilman].”

On Nov. 2, 2021, the councilman received a package that contained a court jester’s hat and a message that read, “You’ve earned this.”

On Nov. 23, the councilman received another letter at his home, stating, “Unfortunately, you have shown that you will not change until something is done. It’s time you leave Bluffdale or resign. If you don’t you will end up dead.”

Court documents state that due to the threats and “intimidating communications,” as well as the uncertainty of how many people were involved in these threats, the councilman ultimately decided not to pursue the mayoral campaign.

The man who delivered the package to the city offices admitted that he did so at Hall’s instruction, court documents state.

Bluffdale Mayor Natalie Hall responded to these allegations in a statement released in July of 2022.