Denise Smith, the wife of former Coalville city attorney Sheldon Smith, has pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge stemming from an altercation over political signs during last year’s mayoral race.
Smith entered a plea in abeyance on Jan. 13 for one count of disorderly conduct, according to court documents. Pleading in abeyance means Smith has one year to complete the court’s requirements, including an anger management class and paying a $715 fee, to wipe the conviction from her record.
If she were to fail to meet the terms of her plea or be charged with an additional crime before the yearlong period ends, then Smith’s conviction would be reinstated and she would receive a more traditional sentencing, such as jail time.
The monitoring period for Smith’s plea ends on Jan. 13, 2027.
Smith was charged with disorderly conduct, a class B misdemeanor, and stalking, a class A misdemeanor, last fall. However, the stalking case was ultimately dismissed as negotiations for the disorderly conduct case unfolded. Troy Gonzalez, the other individual involved in the altercation, also filed paperwork to obtain a civil stalking injunction, which was granted temporarily as proceedings are ongoing.
Gonzalez, a local contractor specializing in granite countertops, told The Park Record in September that he had installed political signs supporting Coalville City Councilor Lynn Wood’s mayoral campaign on his property because of his friendship with Wood and her husband.
Within a week, Gonzalez claimed he had received four unwanted visits in less than 24 hours from his neighbors, Sheldon and Denise Smith, who allegedly harassed Gonzalez for refusing to put up a similar sign supporting Wood’s opponent, Rory Swensen, who ultimately won the race and was sworn in as mayor earlier this month.
Gonzalez shared dozens of photos and video recordings of his interactions with the Smiths to The Park Record shortly after the altercation. The footage showed the couple visiting Gonzalez’s property multiple times to insult Wood, calling her “dishonest” and “unprofessional.”
In one video, Sheldon is seen apologizing to Gonzalez before claiming Wood had done “more damage” to him and his family than “anybody in this community.” Gonzalez is repeatedly heard asking the Smiths to calm down and reaffirming his support of Wood is the result of his personal friendship with her, not because of any specific political motivations.
The Smiths confronted Gonzalez on his property three times in one afternoon before returning a fourth time the following morning. Despite Sheldon’s apology the previous day, he is shown in a video claiming that Gonzalez illegally placed equipment and construction materials on city property. Gonzalez told Sheldon he’d already spoken to the city about it, but Sheldon accused him of lying.
Gonzalez then lost his temper and told the Smiths he’d documented their behavior over the past 24 hours and demanded they leave his property. In a video taken by Gonzalez’s wife from the window of their house, Denise approached Gonzalez and appeared to slap him.
Sheldon seemingly mocked Gonzalez while Denise cheered, calling him a “wuss” as her husband physically restrained her from getting closer. Sheldon also insulted Gonzalez’s business, saying the garage attachment he was building on the property was a “monstrosity.”
“Everyone in Coalville is saying it, and everyone in Coalville hates her,” Denise yelled while gesturing to Wood’s campaign sign.
Sheldon retired from his position as the city attorney in June after more than 20 years on the job. The last few months of his tenure were shadowed by a long-rumored tension between Wood and Sheldon, which came to a head when Wood and former Coalville City Councilor Louise Willoughby proposed an ordinance changing the city attorney position’s appointment from a mayoral responsibility to a decision made by the City Council.
Residents pushed back against the proposal, citing concerns about the perceived power struggle and the separation of duties between the legislative and executive branches of the municipality. The move was also seen as a way to oust the city attorney from his position because of personal conflicts between Sheldon and a few city councilors, including Wood and Willoughby.
Eventually, the City Council modified the ordinance to leave appointment power with the mayor while still giving the City Council an opportunity to provide input.
Wood and Swensen condemned what they saw as a growing political divide between city residents at the time of the altercation between the Smiths and Gonzalez.
Swensen published what he called a plea “for some sanity” on his website shortly after Gonzalez’s videos were posted in local Facebook groups, decrying the polarization of local politics. He said there was no doubt in his mind that Wood loved Coalville, even if they didn’t have the same vision for the city’s future, and he was looking forward to working with her if elected.
“We must reject the temptation to villainize,” Swensen said. “We can debate forcefully and advocate passionately — but at the end of the day, we must remember that our differences make us stronger. They contribute to this tapestry that is America.”
Wood posted a similar call for unity the same weekend, asking her supporters to approach differing opinions with questions and conversations rather than anger and arguments.
“It’s concerning to see that kind of rage directed at you,” Wood said in a previous interview with The Park Record. “I’m hoping this is an incident that’s not going to repeat itself. I hope (the Smiths) have realized that behavior is just not acceptable.”