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Former Alta High football coach Les Hamilton is being investigated by the Canyons School District for inappropriate behavior during his six-year tenure, including accepting bribes from parents.
Hamilton, who won two 5A championships in six seasons at the school, said he will participate in a conference call Thursday to discuss three charges: that he took money from boosters, withheld letters of interest from college coaches and took gear from the boosters' concession stand without paying. One of the charges was reported to the district by a parent who, according to police records, threatened to kill Hamilton in September.
"They've got no proof of anything other than some parents trying to slam me and lying about me," Hamilton said.
The district released a statement late Wednesday that said, "The Canyons District administration has received allegations of financial irregularities regarding a football program in the district ... the superintendent turned the information over to the district's compliance officer for an internal investigation."
Hamilton said he took gear from the concessions stand to give as gifts to coaches and their families and that the booster club was on board with the arrangement. He said Canyons School District Superintendent David Doty was among those who received apparel from Hamilton.
Hamilton resigned as Alta coach as soon as the team's season ended in an opening-round playoff loss to Northridge. The Hawks finished 4-7 and for the first time under Hamilton did not advance to at least the 5A state semifinals.
After the season Hamilton took a job as an executive with a seafood exporting company in Chile, which is owned by a father of one of Hamilton's former players. Hamilton said he suspects that parent is among those he is accused of taking bribes from, but that he did not.
"I did not accept any money from him until after a full month of being on the job in Chile," he said.
Todd Handley, whose son Boston was benched as Alta's quarterback midseason, said he complained to the district about Hamilton withholding letters.
"I heard from other kids that he had held them at his desk for weeks, sometimes even a month, after the letters came in," Handley said. "I heard that over and over, then I had firsthand experience."
He said Boston came home with a stack of letters that were a month old. Handley said he feared Hamilton was costing students scholarships.
"I'm graded in my community for how many kids are recruited each year and how many kids get scholarships," Hamilton said in defense of the charge.
This isn't the first conflict between the two men. In September, after Alta beat Jordan 14-13, Handley was accused in a Sandy Police report by Alta Principal Mont Widerburg of threatening to kill Hamilton after Boston Handley was benched at halftime.
According to the report, Handley told former Alta assistant coach Dave Taylor, "If he ever does that to my kid again, I'll kill him."
Handley, who said he was speaking figuratively, was banned from Alta High School property until, Hamilton said, he asked the restriction be lifted because he felt bad for Handley.
Now, Hamilton said, he is the target of false and unfounded allegations.
"They just want to make me look like someone I'm not," Hamilton said. "Those that do know me and know me well and have been a part of our program know that we've done everything right."
boram@sltrib.comTwitter: @oramb