EVANSTON — A Lyman man was convicted of felony theft on Tuesday, March 18, in Third District Court in Evanston. Mathew Titmus, 44, is now facing up to 10 years in prison and fines up to $10,000 after a jury found him guilty of stealing a piece of heavy equipment that went missing from Evanston in 2023.

According to an affidavit in support of information or citation filed with the court, a Uinta County Sheriff’s Office deputy was patrolling the area of Heinz Street in Lyman looking for a wanted subject on Feb. 19, 2024.

“As I was traveling on Heinz St., I observed the bucket of a skid steer lifted in the air on the property of Mathew Titmus…” the affidavit states. “I further noticed that the skid steer matched the description of one stolen from China Mary Rd., Evanston, in October of 2023, specifically a 1990 Case 1840, Uniloader…”

The deputy searched the internet to confirm it was a match. He said he noticed the cab of the skid steer had been spray painted black but could see orange showing under the black “consistent with the stolen skid steer and [I] have personal knowledge of it.”

Titmus pulled up to the property shortly after, and the deputy asked him about the wanted person. Titmus told the deputy the person he was looking for helped him out now and then but was currently working in Evanston.

When the deputy asked Titmus about the skid steer, he said his late uncle, John Titmus, had given it to him about five years prior.

The deputy, who testified that he could smell fresh paint on the skid steer, asked about the fresh black paint on the cab, and Titmus said it was in the same condition as when he received it from his uncle.

“I then observed a can of black ColorPlace spray paint sitting on the floor of the skid steer,” the deputy said. “I asked Mathew about the paint can. Mathew advised that he had just painted the bed of his truck.”

Telling Titmus that he wanted to rule out the possibility of the skid steer being stolen, the two searched for a serial number.

“Upon inspection it was found that the serial number plate had been taken off,” the affidavit states. “It appeared as if it had recently been removed as the impression of the plate was still very visible and outlined in dirt.”

The deputy noted that most of the inside of the cab was still the original orange color with some black paint overspray and spots of fresh black paint, “however not completely, and the original orange color could still be seen underneath.”

Some of the rims on the skid steer had been painted black, the ones on the right left in original orange. Part of the rear engine cover door was painted black, some still orange.

“It was blatantly obvious that the skid steer had been haphazardly spray painted black in an effort to conceal its origin,” the deputy said.

The deputy sent photos to the Evanston resident who reported a stolen skid steer, who said it “without a doubt” belonged to him. The victim also accurately described an after market “Tara Systems” hydraulic scale, which was specific to his skid steer.

With probable cause to have it seized, the deputy had the skid steer towed to the Mountain View substation cold storage shed.

The value of the skid steer was determined to be $14,000, and the victim said it had been damaged since it was stolen. Some damage was caused to the ignition because it had been hot wired, there was a hydraulic fluid leak and possible damage to the pump system.

Titmus is scheduled to be sentenced on June 12.