PROVO — A Price man was given consecutive prison terms in the 4th District Court on Wednesday for taking an Alpine couple hostage in their home.

Although prosecutors agreed to recommend concurrent sentences for Tyler Archuleta, 37, Judge Claudia Laycock determined only Archuleta’s two kidnapping convictions will run concurrently. Those terms of up to 15 years in prison will run consecutively with a one- to 15-year sentence for making terroristic threats and a five years to life sentence for aggravated burglary.

Laycock said Archuleta’s actions destroyed the safety and sanctity of his victims’ home, and both their family and his will suffer as a result.

“I can’t imagine anything more frightening than to have someone in your home who suddenly places a gun to your head,” she said.

Archuleta held Savage Services CEO Allen Alexander and his wife hostage at their Alpine home in September after gaining access to the home by posing as a census worker. He then threatened them with a handgun and demanded $100 million before forcing them to their vehicle to obtain the money from another location. Prosecutors say he also told the couple he would hurt other executives from the company and that bombs were placed at a company building.

County Attorney Jeff Buhman said police found a crossbow and 15 arrows in his car, as well as plastic handcuffs, wire cutters, duct tape, rope and extra ammunition.

“This was not a momentary loss of sanity,” Buhman said. “This was a planned event.”

Though Archuleta claimed he did not bring the weapons to cause any harm, Buhman said the weapons were exactly for that purpose. He said Archuleta planned the attack for a month. He said it is lucky this was not a homicide investigation, and Archuleta is lucky he was not killed by police.

Archuleta’s attorney, Marshall Witt, said Archuleta felt Savage Services was the blame for his financial difficulties. He said Archuleta had an agreement to haul loads of coal for 10 years for the company if he bought 25 specialty trucks worth $400,000 each. After only a few months, however, the company would no longer let Archuleta take any loads, and he lost the trucks. Over the 10 years, Witt said, Archuleta would have made $100 million in the deal.

With $10 million in debt for the trucks, Witt said, Archuleta filed for bankruptcy. He also began to receive anonymous threats against his children. Witt said these circumstances were not an excuse for the crime, but an explanation of what led up to it.

“Certainly, however, it was not right; it was not appropriate; it was illegal,” his attorney said.

Archuleta’s mother and wife asked the judge for leniency, saying he has learned from his mistakes and grown while in jail. He was in a situation where he did not know what to do, they said, but he has learned from the experience and will never do this again.

Archuleta also spoke to the judge, saying he wanted to ask for the Alexanders’ forgiveness. He said what he did was “selfish and foolish,” and he hopes they can find forgiveness in their hearts. He said he wants to make his wrongs right, and also thanked the staff at the jail and the chaplain for their help while he has been incarcerated.

“They’ve helped me tremendously in my greatest time of need, and I’ll always cherish that and carry it with me,” he said.

Allen Alexander addressed the judge as well, saying he feels bad for Archuleta’s family, but he believes the man should be held accountable.

Alexander said he never had any dealings with Archuleta before the incident, and he ordered an internal review afterward. He said the company had two contracts with Archuleta to haul coal, from December 2006 to May 2007 and from February 2008 to April 2008. Archuleta was paid more than $400,000 for the contracts, the full amount, Alexander said. He said the first contract was terminated because Archuleta tried to hire Savage Services employees. The second contract ended because the mine Archuleta was hauling from was closed by its owner. Alexander said Savage Services later bought one truck and one set of trailers from two dealers in Salt Lake City at market value.

Alexander also noted that the incident took place 18 months after Archuleta’s last contract with Savage Services. He said he could not express the impact the crime has had on his family.

Laycock said the entire crime was fraught with danger, and it is a miracle nobody was killed throughout the entire ordeal. She said she did not believe Archuleta went to the home to “talk things over” with Alexander. She said the claims that Savage Services destroyed Archuleta’s business are no excuse for his crime.

“There are court procedures available for taking care of civil issues, and if what you did becomes an acceptable way to deal with financial disaster, then this country will descend into chaos and anarchy and there will be no safety for anyone,” she said.