Man sentenced to Utah State Prison after 10th DUI, multiple assault convictions

IRON COUNTY, Utah (ABC4) — A man has been sentenced to Utah State Prison after receiving his tenth DUI conviction and multiple assault convictions, according to the Iron County Attorney’s Office.

Thomas Vaughn, 61, was sentenced on May 14, 2025, to the maximum sentence of up to five years in Utah State Prison following his conviction for driving under the influence and assault on a peace officer.

This DUI conviction marks number 10 — a “disturbing milestone” that clearly shows the ongoing threat he poses to the public. Vaughn’s criminal history reportedly landed him in prison in 2020, but he was released on parole in 2023.

This prison term will run consecutively to a separate DUI sentence, for which Vaughn was already on parole at the time of the current offense.

“Consistent with our office’s long-standing position, we advocated for prison time in those 2020 cases to protect the community from a repeat offender who continues to endanger others through his reckless and criminal behavior,” a statement from the Iron County Attorney’s Office reads.

“The Iron County Attorney’s Office remains committed to aggressively prosecuting repeat DUI offenders. We will continue to seek prison time for individuals whose repeated disregard for the law makes them a clear and present danger to our community.”

The Utah Board of Pardons will ultimately determine how long Vaughn will remain in prison.