ST. GEORGE — Mesquite Police narcotics detectives arrested a 46-year-old man on a variety of felony drug charges Wednesday after he was allegedly found to be selling crystal methamphetamine out of his home in Mesquite, Nevada.
Christopher Stevens, of Mesquite, Nevada, booking photo posted Jan. 18, 2017 | Photo courtesy of the Mesquite Police Department, St. George News
“The narcotics detectives had been working a lengthy investigation which involved the suspect trafficking methamphetamines, selling it out of his home and allowing it to be used inside of his home,” according to a statement issued Friday by the Mesquite Police Department.
Police said they were able to safely take Christopher Stevens into custody while he was traveling in his vehicle. Once Stevens was in custody, detectives served a search warrant on his vehicle as well as his residence.
“Multiple items of evidence were recovered during the searches,” according to the statement, “and as the investigation is still ongoing, more criminal charges are pending.”
Stevens was charged with two felony counts of selling methamphetamine, two felony counts of trafficking methamphetamine, two felony counts of conspiracy to violate the Uniform Controlled Substance Act, along with one felony count of maintaining a place to sell and/or use drugs.
Due to the felony charges, police said Stevens was transported and booked into the Clark County Detention Center in Las Vegas.
Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.
ST. GEORGE — A man who fled from sheriff’s deputies during a traffic stop in Beaver Dam, Arizona, Thursday was later located by authorities and found to be in possession of meth, a firearm and drug paraphernalia.
George Stotler, of Mesquite, Nevada | Photo courtesy of Mohave County Sheriff’s Office, St. George News
While monitoring traffic in a school zone near Highway 91 and Rio Virgin Road, Mohave County Sheriff’s deputies observed a fast-approaching, dark-colored vehicle.
“School zone signs were posted next to the roadway and in the roadway as 15 mph,” Mohave County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Trish Carter said, noting that with the use of a radar device, deputies determined the vehicle was traveling 45 mph in the posted 15 mph zone.
Deputies observed a single-occupant, male driver in the vehicle and attempted to pull him over at approximately 9:48 a.m., Carter said. However, the driver of the vehicle accelerated and deputies lost sight of the vehicle as it went around a curve, prompting deputies to discontinue the traffic stop.
Hours later, the same vehicle was observed in the Desert Springs area of Arizona.
The male driver, later identified as 34-year-old George Stotler, of Mesquite, Nevada, fled on foot, Carter said. Stotler was located by authorities after a foot pursuit in a wash near Hope Circle in Desert Springs.
Hewas found to be in possession of methamphetamine, a 9mm pistol and drug paraphernalia, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
“Stotlerwas released to family after he was medically cleared from a hospital due to his difficulty breathing during the incident and recent methamphetamine use,” Carter said, adding, “Stotlerwill be longed form for multiple felony and misdemeanor charges.”
His vehicle was towed from the scene.
Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.
FEATURE — In the wake of a news week that revealed some dark and perhaps unexpected elements in the St. George area, “No Filter Show” co-hosts Grady Sinclair and Paul Ford consider whether there’s an underbelly to Utah’s Dixie.
ST. GEORGE — The Washington County Drug Task Force arrested three men and a woman on a variety of charges Friday evening during a search of a St. George residence. Police also recovered a stolen $4,000 bicycle in the process.
The task force executed a narcotics search warrant at the home, located on the 200 West block of 200 North, according to probable cause statements filed by the Washington County Drug Task Force in support of the arrests. The search warrant included all people present at the residence when the search warrant was executed.
Coby Scot Gordon, of St. George, Utah, booking photo posted Jan. 13, 2017 | Photo courtesy of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, St. George News
Officers arrested 31-year-old Coby Scot Gordon, 20-year-old Nichole Elizabeth Jones, 34-year-old William Maurice Pridgen and 24-year-old William Frank Owen, all of St. George.
Gordon, who was found to be a resident of the home where the search warrant was served, allegedly had heroin on his person, according to the probable cause statements. During a search of his bedroom, detectives discovered methamphetamine pipes with residue that tested positive for meth.
Neither Gordon nor his girlfriend, identified by police as Jones, claimed ownership of the drug-related items located in their shared room, the arresting officer wrote in a sworn statement.
Nichole Elizabeth Jones, booking photo posted Jan. 13, 2017 | Photo courtesy of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, St. George News
Detectives also allegedly found heroin inside Jones’ shoes, according to the statement.
During a search of the home’s garage, detectives observed a mountain bike with a value in excess of $4,000 that appeared to be “out of place,” the report stated. Records showed that the bicycle had been reported stolen to the St. George Police Department.
When detectives interviewed Pridgen, who was located at the home during the search warrant execution, he allegedly admitted that he and Gordon had previously entered an open garage of a residence and that the two had stolen the bicycle from the residence, according to the statement.
Gordon, however, denied any knowledge of the bicycle being stolen, the report stated.
William Maurice Pridgen, booking photo posted Jan. 13, 2017 | Photo courtesy of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, St. George News
When Owen was located in the residence at the time of the search, he was allegedly found to have a used syringe stored behind his ear with residue in it that tested positive for heroin, the report stated, noting that Owen allegedly admitted to using heroin that day.
Owen was also found by detectives to have several prior convictions for drug offenses, as well as an active warrant for his arrest.
The four were booked into the Washington County Purgatory Correctional Facility.
Gordon was charged with second-degree felony burglary of a dwelling, third-degree felony theft, two class A misdemeanor counts of drug possession and a class B misdemeanor count of possession of drug paraphernalia.
William Frank Owen, booking photo posted Jan. 13, 2017 | Photo courtesy of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, St. George News
“Coby (Gordon) has a significant criminal history with numerous convictions for various theft offenses,” the arresting officer stated. “As a result, his theft charge is enhanced.”
Pridgen was charged with second-degree felony burglary of a dwelling, two third-degree felony counts of theft and transporting contraband into jail, class A misdemeanor drug possession and class B misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia.
While being booked into jail, Pridgen was allegedly caught attempting to conceal drugs on his person, according to officials.
Jones was charged with two class A misdemeanor counts of drug possession and a class B misdemeanor count of possession of drug paraphernalia.
Owen was charged with a class A misdemeanor count of drug possession and a class B misdemeanor count of possession of drug paraphernalia.
Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.
ST. GEORGE – Over a week has passed since the story of a Toquerville mother who allegedly starved her 12-year-old son and locked him in a bathroom made headlines across the county and beyond. Many questions surrounding the incident remain unanswered as the case begins its run through 5th District Court and her attorney is formulating ideas on what may have contributed to the situation, one being that the child may be autistic and she was overwhelmed.
See the interviews in video top of this report.
Thirty-six-year-old Toquerville resident Brandy Jaynes made one of her initial appearances in court Tuesday. She was arrested by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office in the early morning hours of Jan. 9, according to police records, and subsequently charged with a second-degree felony for child abuse.
Brandy K. Jaynes, of Toquerville, Utah, bookings photo from Jan. 9, 2017 | Photo courtesy of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, St. George News
Thus far a central question in the case is why Jaynes treated her son in the manner she did, yet appears to have treated his two siblings, a twin sister and a younger sibling, normal by comparison. Questions have also been asked concerning the father’s involvement and what he knew.
The boy’s father is the one who brought him to Dixie Regional Medical Center in St. George the evening of Jan. 8. The boy weighed 30 pounds and was the worst case of child malnourishment the doctors there had ever seen, Washington County Sheriff’s Lt. David Crouse said last week.
Investigators ultimately discovered the boy had been living in a bathroom at home where he was allegedly locked in the dark for extended periods of time, Crouse said. The bathroom was reported to be covered in filth and feces. Light switches in the room were also reported to be heavily taped over so they would couldn’t be used, and the door was locked from the outside.
Investigators believe the boy was kept in the bathroom for a year or longer.
As for the boy’s father, he has been cooperating with authorities. His identity has not yet been made public. Whether or not he faces any charges related to the case has yet to be seen.
“The situation is still unfolding,” Washington County Attorney Brock Belnap said. “The investigators from the Sheriff’s Office are working hard on the case.”
Belnap wouldn’t go into details as the investigation is ongoing yet said that many of the questions surrounding the case would most likely be answered as it progresses through the court.
Ed Flint, Jaynes’ attorney, said he is currently waiting to receive and review evidence gathered by investigators, so he has yet to form an an opinion based on evidence. However, he met with Jaynes at the Washington County Purgatory Correctional Facility Sunday and has formed a primarily, speculative opinion from what he was told.
From what he heard, Flint said, he rejects the narrative that has spun out of media reports painting the woman as an abusive mother willfully starving her child. Rather, he said, this may be a case of someone who became overwhelmed with caring for a child who might be autistic.
“Everything she described was describing a child with an autism spectrum disorder, right down to the gastrointestinal problems,” Flint said.
“The things she was describing are all things I recognize from having my own adult child with autism spectrum disorder,” he said.
A reason the boy was placed in the bathroom was evidently due to continual bouts of vomiting and diarrhea, Flint said. The boy has been unable to keep down food and likely lost a lot of body weight over time because of it, he said.
This June 10, 2017, file photo shows the home in Toquerville where a 12-year-old boy was allegedly locked in a bathroom and starved by his mother, 36-year-old Brandy k. Jaynes. Jaynes’ attorney rejects the native of her being an abusive mother the media has painted her to be, and suggest there is much more to this story than is currently known, Toquerville, Utah, Jan. 10, 2017 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News
Jaynes disputes the accusation that her son was in the bathroom for a year or more, Flint said. Jaynes claims the conversion of the bathroom into a room for the 12-year-old was a more recent event.
She has also stated that the boy’s father lived in the home and knew what was going on, Flint said, and that he was also present when the bathroom was set up for the child.
Initial reports have stated that Jaynes and the boy’s father were separated and he wasn’t living in the house at the time.
“I’ve had a concern about what the father’s participation was in all of this,” Flint said.
As to why Jaynes put the boy in the bathroom, Flint said he believes she may have had a breakdown of some sort while trying to care for a special needs child. From his own experience, he said, he understands the stress that can be placed on a family and parents in caring for an autistic child.
“These are my completely unscientific conclusions,” he said, “but I think those are sound, reasonable inferences to draw from my discussion with her.”
As to why the boy’s siblings apparently never said anything to anyone outside the home about their brother, Flint said that is another question yet to be answered.
While the boy’s twin sister and other sibling have been enrolled in public school, the boy himself was pulled out three years ago, Flint said. At the time the Washington County School District noticed something different about the child and approached Jaynes about getting the boy tested so they could narrow down what the issue could be.
That never happened as the boy was pulled out of school soon after, Flint said, adding that he hopes the boy gets some testing for potential Autism Spectrum Disorder while in state custody.
A plaque outside of the enterance of the Washington County Children’s Justice Center, St. George, Utah, Jan. 18, 2017 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News
Ultimately, based on the information he has at the moment, Flint said he hopes the family can be reunited with some state supervision and parental training added for good measure.
Jaynes’ next court appearance is set for Jan. 30. She currently remains incarcerated in the county jail.
In the days following the Toquerville boy’s story going viral, people began asking the Washington County Sheriff’s Office how they could help and where they could donate money and items.
After it was announced last week that the Washington County Children’s Justice Center would be the focal point for those donations, staff have seen donations of various kinds flood into the center nearly every day.
“It’s been great,” said Solinda Larsen, a victims advocate with the Children’s Justice Center.
Those items were sent to the foster family that will be caring for the boy Tuesday.
Many donations came from the community, as well as from across the nation and oversees, Larsen said. Some of those locations have included Idaho, Nebraska, California, Canada and England.
ST. GEORGE — Mesquite Police narcotics detectives arrested a 46-year-old man on a variety of felony drug charges Wednesday after he was allegedly found to be selling crystal methamphetamine out of his home in Mesquite, Nevada.
Christopher Stevens, of Mesquite, Nevada, booking photo posted Jan. 18, 2017 | Photo courtesy of the Mesquite Police Department, St. George News
“The narcotics detectives had been working a lengthy investigation which involved the suspect trafficking methamphetamines, selling it out of his home and allowing it to be used inside of his home,” according to a statement issued Friday by the Mesquite Police Department.
Police said they were able to safely take Christopher Stevens into custody while he was traveling in his vehicle. Once Stevens was in custody, detectives served a search warrant on his vehicle as well as his residence.
“Multiple items of evidence were recovered during the searches,” according to the statement, “and as the investigation is still ongoing, more criminal charges are pending.”
Stevens was charged with two felony counts of selling methamphetamine, two felony counts of trafficking methamphetamine, two felony counts of conspiracy to violate the Uniform Controlled Substance Act, along with one felony count of maintaining a place to sell and/or use drugs.
Due to the felony charges, police said Stevens was transported and booked into the Clark County Detention Center in Las Vegas.
Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.
ST. GEORGE — A man who fled from sheriff’s deputies during a traffic stop in Beaver Dam, Arizona, Thursday was later located by authorities and found to be in possession of meth, a firearm and drug paraphernalia.
George Stotler, of Mesquite, Nevada | Photo courtesy of Mohave County Sheriff’s Office, St. George News
While monitoring traffic in a school zone near Highway 91 and Rio Virgin Road, Mohave County Sheriff’s deputies observed a fast-approaching, dark-colored vehicle.
“School zone signs were posted next to the roadway and in the roadway as 15 mph,” Mohave County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Trish Carter said, noting that with the use of a radar device, deputies determined the vehicle was traveling 45 mph in the posted 15 mph zone.
Deputies observed a single-occupant, male driver in the vehicle and attempted to pull him over at approximately 9:48 a.m., Carter said. However, the driver of the vehicle accelerated and deputies lost sight of the vehicle as it went around a curve, prompting deputies to discontinue the traffic stop.
Hours later, the same vehicle was observed in the Desert Springs area of Arizona.
The male driver, later identified as 34-year-old George Stotler, of Mesquite, Nevada, fled on foot, Carter said. Stotler was located by authorities after a foot pursuit in a wash near Hope Circle in Desert Springs.
Hewas found to be in possession of methamphetamine, a 9mm pistol and drug paraphernalia, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
“Stotlerwas released to family after he was medically cleared from a hospital due to his difficulty breathing during the incident and recent methamphetamine use,” Carter said, adding, “Stotlerwill be longed form for multiple felony and misdemeanor charges.”
His vehicle was towed from the scene.
Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.
Update: 8:48 a.m. – Authorities have since arrested Kevin Roque from St. George for allegedly receiving or possession of stolen vehicle a second-degree felony, fleeing from an officer and causing serious injury a third-degree felony, leaving the scene of an accident a Class A misdemeanor, disruption of school activity a Class A misdemeanor, reckless driving a Class B misdemeanor, and two infractions for speeding, and headlamp violation.
CEDAR CITY — Police surrounded a local high school Tuesday night during a well attended wrestling tournament after two suspects led them on a foot pursuit that had started earlier with a high speed chase on the freeway.
At 6:48 p.m., Utah Highway Patrol Trooper Zach Todd clocked a vehicle traveling approximately 100 miles per hour on Interstate 15 at milepost 60, said UHP Sgt. Ryan Bauer, who was also stationed on the Interstate at the time. The suspect turned the vehicle’s lights off once police began the pursuit.
The vehicle took the off-ramp into Cedar City at Exit 62. At that point, the troopers stopped chasing the vehicle but called ahead to Cedar City Police for assistance.
Two suspects crashed the vehicle they were driving Tuesday night after leading police on a high speed chase. The vehicle was allegedly stolen out of Ogden, Cedar City, Utah, Jan. 24, 2017 | Photo by Tracie Sullivan, St. George News / Cedar City News
“We didn’t want a high speed chase at 100 miles per hour inside city limits,” Bauer said. “So we just shut it down at that point and followed him into the city limits but we weren’t going to chase him.”
After the suspects exited the Interstate they turned south on Main Street. Troopers continued following behind but were back far enough they lost sight of the vehicle that was reportedly stolen out of Ogden.
“At that point we weren’t chasing them so they got far enough ahead of us that we couldn’t see them anymore,” Bauer said.
The couple was only about a couple of blocks from the Interstate when they crashed the vehicle, rolling it into a ravine.
“We saw all these people standing on the side of the road and we figured the suspects had crashed their vehicle,” Bauer said. “We stopped to see what was going on and sure enough they had crashed and rolled their car. The people were pulled over because they (suspects) almost ran into several of the other vehicles.”
Witnesses said they saw a man and a woman exit the vehicle and run west toward Canyon View High School.
Police set up perimeters around the building to ensure the safety of those inside, who at the time were attending a wrestling match. Additionally, several law enforcement vehicles were stationed on the Interstate located near the high school. K9 units were also called in for assistance.
Authorities tracked the suspects via their footprints in a snow-covered field, Bauer said.
The couple was located at around 7:30 p.m. near The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint’s seminary building located next to Canyon View High School and were arrested.
At the time of publication, authorities had not yet booked the 18-year-old driver into jail nor had charges been determined. In addition, police had not confirmed the driver’s name, Bauer said. The female is a 16-year-old juvenile so her name will not be publicly released, he added.
The driver is believed to be a resident of Cedar City. The female however, is reportedly from northern Utah, Bauer said.
Ed. note: The event occurring at the time of the incident was incorrectly reported by police to Cedar City News as a basketball game. Changes have been made to reflect the correct event as a wrestling tournament. There was also a band and orchestra concert occurring at the same time.
Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.
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Utah Highway Patrol and Cedar City Police Department were out in droves Tuesday night searching for two suspects who had led police on a high speed chase and later a foot pursuit, Cedar City, Utah, Jan. 24, 2017 | Photo by Tracie Sullivan, St. George News / Cedar City News
Two suspects crashed the vehicle they were driving Tuesday night after leading police on a high speed chase. The vehicle was allegedly stolen out of Ogden, Cedar City, Utah, Jan. 24, 2017 | Photo by Tracie Sullivan, St. George News / Cedar City News
Utah Highway Patrol troopers arrested two suspects Tuesday after a high speed chase and foot pursuit, Cedar City, Utah, Jan. 24, 2017 | Photo by Tracie Sullivan, St. George News / Cedar City News
Utah Highway Patrol and Cedar City Police Department were out in droves Tuesday night searching for two suspects who had led police on a high speed chase and later a foot pursuit, Cedar City, Utah, Jan. 24, 2017 | Photo by Tracie Sullivan, St. George News / Cedar City News
Utah Highway Patrol and Cedar City Police Department were out in droves Tuesday night searching for two suspects who had led police on a high speed chase and later a foot pursuit, Cedar City, Utah, Jan. 24, 2017 | Photo by Tracie Sullivan, St. George News / Cedar City News
Utah Highway Patrol troopers arrested two suspects Tuesday after a high speed chase and foot pursuit, Cedar City, Utah, Jan. 24, 2017 | Photo by Tracie Sullivan, St. George News / Cedar City News
Two suspects crashed the vehicle they were driving Tuesday night after leading police on a high speed chase. The vehicle was allegedly stolen out of Ogden, Cedar City, Utah, Jan. 24, 2017 | Photo by Tracie Sullivan, St. George News / Cedar City News
ST. GEORGE — When authorities pulled over the driver of a speeding minivan Wednesday, they got more than they bargained for – allegedly locating a 16-year-old runaway and pinpointing a suspect in multiple burglaries reported in Southern Utah.
Sheriff’s deputies observed the driver of a minivan speeding in a school zone on Highway 91, Mohave County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Trish Carter said in a news release. The driver was subsequently pulled over at approximately 12:45 p.m. on Highway 91 at Old Pioneer Road.
Seth Samuel Barlow, listed as a transient, booking photo posted Jan. 25, 2017 | Photo courtesy of of Mohave County Sheriff’s Office, St. George News
The driver was taken into custody after he falsely identified himself and failed to produce a driver’s license, Carter said. The driver was ultimately identified by deputies as 48-year-old Seth Samuel Barlow after a Utah identification card was located in his possession.
A records check by law enforcement showed Barlow as having a revoked driver’s license out of Utah, according to the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office.
When authorities spoke to Barlow’s female passenger, she initially “provided multiple pieces of false information regarding her identity, claiming to be 20, 21 and 23 years old,” Carter said in her news release.
Further investigation revealed the passenger’s real name and age. A computer check revealed that the 16-year-old passenger was listed in the National Crime Information Center database as a runaway juvenile by the Hurricane City Police Department.
Custody of the 16-year-old was ultimately transferred to Utah Department of Child and Family Services.
An inventory search of Barlow’s vehicle revealed multiple driver’s licenses belonging to other people, along with financial cards, club cards, electronics and other personal items, leading deputies to believe that Barlow may be connected to multiple burglaries in the Southern Utah area, Carter said.
Deputies contacted police agencies in Washington County and Iron County.
“Further investigations showed some of the people whose licenses were found had reported auto burglaries within the past couple months in Utah,” Carter said, “which is leading an additional investigation to determine if there is further reported stolen property in the vehicle.”
Barlow was transported and booked into the Washington County Purgatory Correctional Facility.
While en route to the jail, Barlow allegedly made threatening statements toward the arresting deputy, Carter said, noting that Barlow repeated his threatening statements, again, upon arrival at the jail.
Barlow was booked on misdemeanor charges of providing a false report to law enforcement, possession of stolen property, threatening/intimidating law enforcement and driving with a revoked license.
“Investigations are continuing into Seth Barlow being located with a runaway juvenile,” Carter said.
Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.
ST. GEORGE — When authorities moved in to arrest four men – including two Utah men – on drug trafficking charges in Mesquite, Nevada, the men were reportedly caught in the act of forcing two females to conduct sexual acts for money.
Ashton Mcdonald, of Littlefield, Arizona, booking photo posted Jan. 26, 2017 | Photo courtesy of the Mesquite Police Department, St. George News
Over the past several months, police had been conducting an investigation into four alleged drug dealers who had reportedly been working together to traffic and sell heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine from a Mesquite residence, according to a statement issued Monday by the Mesquite Police Department.
On Jan. 26, officials concluded their investigation and moved in on the residence to take the four suspects into custody, according to the police statement.
“When the police officers moved in and made contact with the suspects,” Mesquite Police officials said, “they learned these suspects were in the act of forcing two females to conduct sexual acts for money, while actively selling illegal drugs from within their residence.”
Shauntory Watson, of Ogden, Utah, booking photo posted Jan. 26, 2017 | Photo courtesy of the Mesquite Police Department, St. George News
Police were able to safely remove both females, whose ages have not been released, from the residence while taking the four suspects into custody, officials said.
The following suspects have been formally charged in connection with the investigation:
Shauntory Watson, 38, of Ogden, was charged with three felony counts of sexual assault, one felony count of coercion, two felony counts of conspiracy to violate the Uniform Controlled Substance Act, two felony counts of selling meth, one felony count of possession of cocaine, and one felony count of heroin possession.
Ronnie Baham, of St. George, Utah, booking photo posted Jan. 26, 2017 | Photo courtesy of the Mesquite Police Department, St. George News
Ronnie Baham, 52, of St. George, was charged with one felony count of selling meth and one felony count of conspiracy to violate the Uniform Controlled Substance Act.
Robert William Howick, 53, of Mesquite, was charged with one felony count of battery with substantial bodily harm.
Ashton Mcdonald, 25, of Littlefield, Arizona, was charged with one felony count of selling heroin and one felony count of conspiracy to violate the Uniform Controlled Substance Act.
As the investigation into the incident is ongoing, police said additional charges may be forthcoming.
Robert Howick, of Mesquite, Nevada, booking photo posted Jan. 26, 2017 | Photo courtesy of the Mesquite Police Department, St. George News
“Mesquite detectives are still actively investigating and reviewing evidence obtained from the crime scene,” officials said. “Additional criminal charges are pending once the investigation is completed.”
Due to the felony charges, police said the men were transported and booked into the Clark County Detention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.
CEDAR CITY – A 45-year-old man is facing felony charges for sexual solicitation after allegedly meeting up with an underage male via a gay and bisexual mobile networking app.
Summit resident Shon Edwards was arrested Jan. 26. He is facing two counts of sexual solicitation, both third-degree felonies.
Edwards was booked into the Iron County Correctional Facility and has since been released on $5,000 bail.
According to the charging documents filed in 5th District Court Friday, a 17-year-old male told police he met up with Edwards using the Grinder app from his home in Cedar City.
The juvenile, who was interviewed by Cedar City police detectives at the Iron County Children’s Justice Center, said Edwards did not provide any personal information to the minor and only identified himself as Scott.
The two allegedly met at Iron County Springs Elementary and Southern Utah University in September and October. They would then drive up Highway 14 together where the minor boy would allegedly perform sexual acts on Edwards in trade for money. Two of the incidents took place in September and October.
Text messages allegedly found on the juvenile’s phone confirmed that the suspect paid him $40 for sexual acts. On at least one occasion, $100 was exchanged, Det. Dustin Orton wrote in his affidavit to the court.
Edwards allegedly admitted to police during his interview of having paid the minor for sex “multiple times.” He also admitted to using the app to meet up with other males for the same purpose, court documents state.
Edwards insisted that most of the men he was sexually involved with were “believed to be of college age,” and said he didn’t intentionally target children.
The suspect is scheduled for an initial appearance Feb. 14.
Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.
ST. GEORGE – A man was arrested for suspected impairment and a woman was taken to the hospital in the wake of a vehicle that rolled and collided with another vehicle, sending it through a brick wall Thursday.
Around 7 p.m., St. George Police were called to the parking lot of a chapel of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the area of 200 W. 500 North. There they encountered an obliterated BMW sitting on its right side next to a white Dodge pickup truck that had been shoved into a brick wall.
Aftermath of a vehicle rollover that occurred in the parking lot of an LDS chapel at 220 W. 500 North in St. George. The driver of the BMW that rolled was arrested for suspected impairment while his passenger, a woman ejected during the rollover, was taken to the hospital. The BMW slammed into a parked Dodge pickup truck and sent it into a brick wall before both came to a stop, St. George, Utah, Feb. 2, 2017 | photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News
Witnesses told police the BMW was on Hope Street, heading toward 500 North and was traveling at “South Bluff (Street) speeds” in the wrong lane. When the driver attempted to make the turn, he lost control of the vehicle and it rolled, police Officer David McDaniel said.
The speed limit on South Bluff Street is 45 mph. Speed limits through residential areas similar to where the rollover occurred are generally 25 mph.
The BMW crashed into a post used to put a chain across the entry to the LDS chapel parking lot and tore it out of the ground. This threw the BMW on its other side and it slammed into a parked Dodge pickup truck.
“When it hit the Dodge, the passenger was ejected because she was not wearing a seat belt,” McDaniel said. “She went through the sun roof (and) ended up underneath the Dodge and bounced off of the curb as the Dodge and the BMW came to a stop.”
The Dodge was shoved by the force of the BMW into a brick wall, sending debris onto another vehicle parked on the other side.
Watch video in the media player top of this report.
“We heard a big noise, we ran out, and someone who was (already) there said a car had flipped over and people are in it and they’re in trouble,” said Karen Fisher, whose home sits next to the church and had just had part of her wall decimated in the crash.
The general location of the rollover is marked by the red diamond | Click to enlarge the image | Map courtesy of Google Maps, St. George News
A woman who was passing by and happened to be a nurse stopped at the scene, as did another man who exited the church after hearing the commotion raised by the rollover, Fisher said.
While trying to help, Fisher’s son called 911 and got the first responders on the way.
The woman who had been ejected was bleeding from her head, Fisher said.
McDaniel was unable to comment on the extent of the woman’s injuries but said she was taken to Dixie Regional Medical Center for care.
“She was alert and conscious, which is usually a good sign because she knew who she was and where she was,” McDaniel said.
The driver, a male who looked to be in his early 20s, appeared to have escaped injury and was taken aside by officers for possible sobriety testing.
He was ultimately taken into custody by police and placed into the back of a police cruiser. As this was done, the driver demanded to see his lawyer and threatened a lawsuit. The officers went about the business of putting him in the back of a car and continued to investigate the scene.
The driver was arrested on several charges, McDaniel said, adding, “A full list is not available at this time.”
As for a cause of the accident, McDaniel said impairment of some sort, possibly alcohol or drugs or both, was “very high on the list.”
Gold Cross Ambulance and the St. George Fire Department also responded to the scene. A Utah Highway Patrol trooper also arrived to offer aid.
This report is based on preliminary information provided by law enforcement or other emergency responders and may not contain the full scope of findings.
Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.
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Aftermath of a vehicle rollover that occurred in the parking lot of an LDS chapel at 220 W. 500 North in St. George. The driver of the BMW that rolled was arrested for suspected impairment while his passenger, a woman who was ejected during the rollover, was taken to the hospital. The BMW slammed into a parked Dodge pickup truck and sent it into a brick wall before both came to a stop, St. George, Utah, Feb. 2, 2017 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News
Aftermath of a vehicle rollover that occurred in the parking lot of an LDS chapel at 220 W. 500 North in St. George. The driver of the BMW that rolled was arrested for suspected impairment while his passenger, a woman who was ejected during the rollover, was taken to the hospital. The BMW slammed into a parked Dodge pickup truck and sent it into a brick wall before both came to a stop, St. George, Utah, Feb. 2, 2017 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News
Aftermath of a vehicle rollover that occurred in the parking lot of an LDS chapel at 220 W. 500 North in St. George. The driver of the BMW that rolled was arrested for suspected impairment while his passenger, a woman who was ejected during the rollover, was taken to the hospital. The BMW slammed into a parked Dodge pickup truck and sent it into a brick wall before both came to a stop, St. George, Utah, Feb. 2, 2017 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News
Aftermath of a vehicle rollover that occurred in the parking lot of an LDS chapel at 220 W. 500 North in St. George. The driver of the BMW that rolled was arrested for suspected impairment while his passenger, a woman who was ejected during the rollover, was taken to the hospital. The BMW slammed into a parked Dodge pickup truck and sent it into a brick wall before both came to a stop, St. George, Utah, Feb. 2, 2017 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News
Aftermath of a vehicle rollover that occurred in the parking lot of an LDS chapel at 220 W. 500 North in St. George. The driver of the BMW that rolled was arrested for suspected impairment while his passenger, a woman who was ejected during the rollover, was taken to the hospital. The BMW slammed into a parked Dodge pickup truck and sent it into a brick wall before both came to a stop, St. George, Utah, Feb. 2, 2017 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News
Aftermath of a vehicle rollover that occurred in the parking lot of an LDS chapel at 220 W. 500 North in St. George. The driver of the BMW that rolled was arrested for suspected impairment while his passenger, a woman who was ejected during the rollover, was taken to the hospital. The BMW slammed into a parked Dodge pickup truck and sent it into a brick wall before both came to a stop, St. George, Utah, Feb. 2, 2017 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News
Aftermath of a vehicle rollover that occurred in the parking lot of an LDS chapel at 220 W. 500 North in St. George. The driver of the BMW that rolled was arrested for suspected impairment while his passenger, a woman who was ejected during the rollover, was taken to the hospital. The BMW slammed into a parked Dodge pickup truck and sent it into a brick wall before both came to a stop, St. George, Utah, Feb. 2, 2017 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News
Aftermath of a vehicle rollover that occurred in the parking lot of an LDS chapel at 220 W. 500 North in St. George. The driver of the BMW that rolled was arrested for suspected impairment while his passenger, a woman who was ejected during the rollover, was taken to the hospital. The BMW slammed into a parked Dodge pickup truck and sent it into a brick wall before both came to a stop, St. George, Utah, Feb. 2, 2017 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News
Aftermath of a vehicle rollover that occurred in the parking lot of an LDS chapel at 220 W. 500 North in St. George. The driver of the BMW that rolled was arrested for suspected impairment while his passenger, a woman who was ejected during the rollover, was taken to the hospital. The BMW slammed into a parked Dodge pickup truck and sent it into a brick wall before both came to a stop, St. George, Utah, Feb. 2, 2017 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News
Aftermath of a vehicle rollover that occurred in the parking lot of an LDS chapel at 220 W. 500 North in St. George. The driver of the BMW that rolled was arrested for suspected impairment while his passenger, a woman who was ejected during the rollover, was taken to the hospital. The BMW slammed into a parked Dodge pickup truck and sent it into a brick wall before both came to a stop, St. George, Utah, Feb. 2, 2017 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News
Aftermath of a vehicle rollover that occurred in the parking lot of an LDS chapel at 220 W. 500 North in St. George. The driver of the BMW that rolled was arrested for suspected impairment while his passenger, a woman who was ejected during the rollover, was taken to the hospital. The BMW slammed into a parked Dodge pickup truck and sent it into a brick wall before both came to a stop, St. George, Utah, Feb. 2, 2017 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News
Aftermath of a vehicle rollover that occurred in the parking lot of an LDS chapel at 220 W. 500 North in St. George. The driver of the BMW that rolled was arrested for suspected impairment while his passenger, a woman who was ejected during the rollover, was taken to the hospital. The BMW slammed into a parked Dodge pickup truck and sent it into a brick wall before both came to a stop, St. George, Utah, Feb. 2, 2017 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News
Aftermath of a vehicle rollover that occurred in the parking lot of an LDS chapel at 220 W. 500 North in St. George. The driver of the BMW that rolled was arrested for suspected impairment while his passenger, a woman who was ejected during the rollover, was taken to the hospital. The BMW slammed into a parked Dodge pickup truck and sent it into a brick wall before both came to a stop, St. George, Utah, Feb. 2, 2017 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News
Aftermath of a vehicle rollover that occurred in the parking lot of an LDS chapel at 220 W. 500 North in St. George. The driver of the BMW that rolled was arrested for suspected impairment while his passenger, a woman who was ejected during the rollover, was taken to the hospital. The BMW slammed into a parked Dodge pickup truck and sent it into a brick wall before both came to a stop, St. George, Utah, Feb. 2, 2017 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News
The general location of the rollover is marked by the red diamond | Click to enlarge the image | Map courtesy of Google Maps, St. George News
CEDAR CITY – A Cedar City man facing two second-degree felonies is in custody without bail after he allegedly sexually assaulted an underage female at a house party last month, authorities said.
Jason Ballenger, 33, was arrested Wednesday for two counts of forcible sexual abuse of a minor. He is in the Iron County Correctional Facility on a no-bail hold.
According to the charging documents filed in 5th District Court, Cedar City Police arrested Ballenger following an incident with a 16-year-old female who reported he had sexually assaulted her Jan. 29 during and after a party at a residence located at the 1600 block of Northfield Road.
Jason Ballenger, booking photo, Cedar City, Utah, Feb. 1, 2017 | Photo courtesy of Iron County Sheriffs Office, St. George News / Cedar City News
The victim was at the home to help take care of the children whose parents were also there but reportedly drinking at the time.
Ballenger allegedly inappropriately touched the victim several times throughout the night but was warned by the homeowner to leave her alone due to her age.
Later that evening, the suspect’s girlfriend found the victim laying down in a bedroom where she joined her and began questioning the girl about her previous sexual history, the report said.
“The victim said (Ballenger’s girlfriend) told her that she and Jason were swingers and Jason was mad because she was not doing her part,” Det. Davie Evans said in his statement.
Ballenger came into the room and after laying down between the two females began allegedly touching the victim. The minor told police she pushed him away and left the room.
The suspect again found her in her bedroom later that evening where he sexually assaulted her another time, according to court documents.
The victim told investigators she pushed Ballenger away, this time running to another room and locking the door behind her.
The next morning, Evans said, the victim told the homeowners what had transpired and they called the police.
Ballenger’s girlfriend reportedly corroborated the victim’s story. However, she admitted to police she had also touched the victim but denied having inappropriate contact with her. The girlfriend also told police the couple knew the girl’s age. She denied knowing that her boyfriend had allegedly sexually assaulted the victim the second time.
Police interviewed Ballenger in jail where he was being held at the time for a probation violation. The suspect allegedly confessed to the first sexual assault but insisted the second alleged incident was consensual, denying that he had sexually assaulted her. The report states Ballenger admitted he knew the girl’s age.
“Jason stated the victim was drinking alcohol and never told him to stop,” the police statement detailed.
Ballenger appeared in 5th District Court for an initial appearance Thursday.
ST. GEORGE — Two suspects with warrants out of Colorado are in custody after leading authorities on a high-speed chase Friday afternoon.
Just before noon, Utah Highway Patrol Sgt. David Bairett said he attempted to pull over a driver who was speeding on Interstate 15. The driver refused to pull over and reached speeds of 112 mph before taking exit 112 into Beaver.
“Right after the exit, I attempted to do a PIT, which is a force stop technique on the vehicle. That was unsuccessful,” Bairett said.
As the driver continued to speed toward town, the sergeant called off the pursuit and put out an “attempt to locate” on the car.
Minutes later, a Beaver County Sheriff’s deputy spotted the car and followed it as it went up the seasonally-closed State Route 153.
Bairett caught up with the deputy at about mile marker 12 where the deputy attempted to pull over the speeding driver. A PIT maneuver was again attempted a few miles later, at which point the suspect appeared ready to give up the chase.
“The subject made a motion like he put his hands up in the air like he was giving up, and he slowed down and stopped, and we were able to take him safely into custody with no further incident,” Bairett said.
In the car with the 26-year-old male driver was a 25-year-old woman who was also taken into custody.
As the authorities approached the vehicle to make the arrests, Bairett said he noticed the alleged criminal duo kissing each other goodbye.
“I think they were doing the ‘we’re going to jail, we better show each other how much we love each other now,’” Bairett said. “As they came to a stop, they leaned over and gave each other a few kisses.”
The car they were driving was stolen and both suspects were wanted out of Colorado.
This report is based on preliminary information provided by law enforcement or other emergency responders and may not contain the full scope of findings.
Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.
ST. GEORGE — An Arizona man was arrested on 15 felony charges over the weekend after allegedly shooting at four kayakers as they paddled past his property and then holding three of them at gunpoint.
A group of four friends from Flagstaff, Arizona, told officials they were kayaking down Burro Creek and were about a mile downstream from the Burro Creek Campground when they heard a gunshot and saw an elderly man standing on the riverbank with a “large silver gun,” Mohave County Sheriff’s Spokesperson Trish Carter said in a statement.
Danny Eugene Button, of Mohave County, Arizona, booking photo posted Feb. 5, 2017 | Photo courtesy of Mohave County Sheriff’s Office, St. George News
The kayakers reported that the man, later identified as 66-year-old Danny Button, fired four more rounds. One round hit the water near the lead kayaker, who subsequently began paddling “extremely fast” and got away, Carter said, as Button ordered the remaining three kayakers out of the water at gunpoint.
The kayakers reportedly pleaded with Button to let them go to look for their friend as they feared he may be injured, according to the Sheriff’s Office. Button told them they were on his property and later ordered them to grab their boats and walk back to the campground.
Deputies responded to the area at approximately 3:32 p.m. Saturday and found two of the kayakers at the Burro Creek Campground. They found a third kayaker at a landing waiting for the fourth, who hadn’t returned.
Search and Rescue crews responded and initiated a search for the missing 47-year-old kayaker, who was subsequently found 19 hours later about 7 miles south of Burro Creek Campgrounds, the sheriff’s office said, noting that the man was in good health.
The man reported hearing a couple gunshots before realizing he was the target, deputies said, which prompted him to roll his kayak upside down in the water as shots were fired.
“The (alleged) victim said that he stayed upside down as long as possible before he rolled back up and heard a male subject say, ‘This one is not going to miss,’” Carter said. “The (alleged) victim further said that he paddled as fast as he could to escape.”
The man reportedly continued on to the group’s planned destination but said he didn’t make it before darkness, so he ended up camping and hiding out, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities located Button on his property at approximately 10:45 p.m. Saturday and arrested him shortly thereafter, Carter said, adding that his .45-caliber Ruger revolver was taken as evidence.
Button told deputies he was target shooting on his property and then said the kayakers were trespassing, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Button was booked into the Mohave County Jail Saturday on three felony counts of unlawful imprisonment, three felony counts of kidnapping, three felony counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and three felony counts of endangerment.
After the fourth kayaker was found Sunday, Button was charged with three additional felony counts of disorderly conduct with a weapon, endangerment and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
Deputies confirmed that property owners do not have the rights to the waterways.
Approximately 30 Search and Rescue members, the Department of Public Safety Kingman Ranger and DPS Flagstaff Ranger assisted in the search for the missing kayaker.
Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.
ST. GEORGE — A St. George businessman was arrested Wednesday on 16 charges in connection with the ongoing investigation of five Washington County massage parlors allegedly involved in criminal activity.
Brett Allan Labrum, 48, of Washington City, was booked into the Washington County Purgatory Correctional Facility Wednesday on a second-degree felony count of forcible sexual abuse, four class A misdemeanor counts of not having a massage parlor business license, six class B misdemeanor counts of lewdness and five class B misdemeanor counts of sexual solicitation.
Brett Allan Labrum, of Washington City, booking photo posted Feb. 8, 2017 | Photo courtesy of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, St. George News
On Jan. 10 and Jan. 11, as part of a multiagency operation and investigation into prostitution, sexual solicitation and Utah business license violations, search warrants were served at Japan Massage, Golden Coast Massage and Massage Therapy, each located in St. George, along with Dixie Massage, with locations in both St. George and Washington City.
“Several arrests were made during the two-day operation,” St. George Police Officer Lona Trombley said Thursday. “The investigation has been ongoing as a large amount of collected data was analyzed and many interviews were conducted.”
Authorities arrested Labrum – who was determined to be the owner of both Dixie Massage businesses – after analyzing data and evidence collected at the two parlors and conducting interviews, Trombley said.
According to a probable cause statement filed by the St. George Police Department in connection with Labrum’s arrest, an investigation into Dixie Massage, located at 225 N. Bluff St. in St. George, was initiated in June 2016 after information was gathered indicating sex acts had been taking place in the establishment.
Investigators began conducting surveillance on the establishment and found a vehicle registered to Labrum would frequent the establishment. Authorities discovered this office space was rented to Labrum, according to the statement. Investigators followed Labrum’s vehicle to a second establishment located at 43 N. 300 West in Washington City and found this office space also rented in Labrum’s name.
A search warrant was obtained to place a tracker on Labrum’s vehicle, which allegedly showed his vehicle frequenting both establishments almost daily – many times, numerous times per day, the report stated.
“Investigators sent multiple undercover officers into both establishments posing as clients seeking body massages,” the arresting officer wrote in the sworn statement. “During the undercover operations, the officers were able to negotiate sex acts in exchange for money. The acts were declined by the undercover officers.”
When investigators executed search warrants on both massage parlors Jan. 10, they seized phones, tablets, laptops and surveillance systems from both locations and questioned Labrum at the St. George Police Department.
During the interview, Labrum reportedly told police that he had purchased Dixie Massage in September 2016 and that there were four Asian female employees that worked there as needed, according to the statement.
“He further admitted to scheduling all appointments for the employees knowing they were not licensed to be giving full body massages,” the arresting officer wrote. “Labrum denied any knowledge of sex acts occurring in his establishment.”
Labrum’s alleged knowledge of the women not being licensed subsequently resulted in Wednesday’s four charges of not having a massage parlor business license.
At that time, investigators decided not to arrest Labrum until they had reviewed information found on the electronic devices that had been seized, the report stated.
Meanwhile, authorities questioned the Asian women working at the establishment. One of the women reportedly told investigators she had worked at Dixie Massage since November 2015.
While undercover officers were reportedly able to negotiate sex acts at the establishment in exchange for money, according to the probable cause statement, Labrum allegedly was not.
According to the statement, the woman allegedly told authorities that on five different occasions prior to Labrum buying the establishment, he requested she perform a sexual act on him. These allegations are the basis of the five charges of sexual solicitation brought against Labrum.
The woman told police she declined Labrum’s request which, she alleged, prompted Labrum to perform the sex act on himself in front of her. This allegation is the basis of the lewdness charge against Labrum.
A second woman told investigators she had worked at Dixie Massage since March 2016. During questioning, the woman reportedly told police about two interactions with Labrum, one while he was a client and one while he was the owner.
During the first incident, the woman allegedly told police she was giving Labrum a massage when he grabbed her hand and placed it on his genitalia, but she pulled her hand away, the officer wrote in his statement. This allegation resulted in Labrum’s second-degree felony count of forcible sexual abuse.
According to the statement, the woman told police the second incident occurred when Labrum allegedly performed a sex act on himself in front of her. This allegation resulted in the additional lewdness charge against him.
St. George News spoke with Labrum’s defense attorney, Jay Winward, about the charges and allegations. Winward released the following statement:
We dispute the allegations. We have been cooperating with the investigation since early January. We look forward to the litigation process.
Following his arrest Wednesday, Labrum was released from custody on $25,280 bail pending trial.
Trombley said the investigation is ongoing, noting that the St. George Police Department has been assisted in the operation by Homeland Security Investigations, Operation Underground Railroad, Utah Statewide Intelligence and Analysis Center, the Department of Professional Licensing, Washington City Police Department, Asian Association of Utah, Utah Attorney General’s Office and the Washington County Attorney’s Office.
As this report is published, the St. George Police Department had not confirmed whether the two witnesses in the case may have had any concerns about their alien status.
Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.
ST. GEORGE — More than 36 pounds of methamphetamine – with a reported street value estimated at more than half of a million dollars – was seized over the weekend just off Interstate 15 in northern Utah.
A 27-year-old Hispanic man called police around 3 a.m. Sunday to report that he was being followed by “multiple suspicious vehicles,” according to the Garland Police Department.
Police responded to a service station off I-15 where the man had pulled over to meet with officers, Garland Police officials said. Responding officers noticed the man appeared to be under the influence of some type of drug.
While officers were unable to locate any suspicious vehicles following the man, they did discover more than 36 pounds of meth in the man’s possession, officials said, adding that the illegal drugs had been “sealed in food jars to hide the contents.”
The man told officers he was just passing through Utah and was on his way to North Dakota, according to the police, who are working to determine the man’s true identity after he allegedly provided them with a forged international passport.
The man was booked into jail for possession of marijuana, possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and forgery.
Officers from the Tremonton Police Department and the Box Elder County Sheriff’s Office assisted Garland Police with the arrest and seizure.
Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.
ST. GEORGE – A three-vehicle crash temporarily impacted the intersection of Bluff Street and Main Street Tuesday night and left one of the vehicles, a 1980s Chevy bus converted into a motor coach, up on the curb.
A 1987 Chevy bus converted into a motor coach was a part of a three-vehicle crash in the intersection of Bluff Street and Black Ridge Drive. The driver of the motor coach allegedly ran a red light and caused the collision, St. George, Utah, Feb. 14, 2017 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News
Around 8:50 p.m. Tuesday, a red, white and blue 1987 Chevy bus/motor coach was southbound on Bluff Street and had entered the left-lane. At the time the traffic signal for that lane was red.
Instead of stopping, the bus/motor coach is alleged to have continued through the intersection and collided with two other vehicles, St. George Police Officer Lona Trombley said.
The first vehicle the Chevy bus/motor coach hit was a gray 2010 Lincoln SUV that had been westbound through the intersection from Main Street toward Black Ridge Drive.
The impact caused the SUV to spin around until it came to a stop in the middle of the intersection facing east.
The motor coach also tagged the front bumper of a black 2013 GMC Yukon that had been following behind the Lincoln. The driver of the Yukon was able to bring her vehicle to a stop.
The impact with the Lincoln sent the motor coach veering west onto Black Ridge Drive where it jumped the curb and was stopped by an embankment.
While no one was taken to the hospital by ambulance, the driver of the Lincoln SUV, a 58-year-old man, self-transported to Dixie Regional Medical Center in St. George for a possible injury.
A 1987 Chevy bus converted into a motor coach was a part of a three-vehicle crash in the intersection of Bluff Street and Black Ridge Drive. The driver of the motor coach allegedly ran a red light and caused the collision, St. George, Utah, Feb. 14, 2017 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News
The driver of the Yukon, a 17-year-old girl, along with four passengers between the ages of 16 and 24, were unharmed. The Yukon was driven away from the scene.
The 24-year-old driver of the motor coach was taken into police custody and charged with various misdemeanors that include driving with a revoked license, not having vehicle insurance, failure to obey a traffic signal and drug-related charges.
Traffic moving onto Black Ridge Drive had to be divert around the crashed motor coach, as the end of it was partially blocking the outer lane.
Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact. This report is based on preliminary information provided by responders and others on scene and may not contain the full scope of findings.
Click on photo to enlarge it, then use your left-right arrow keys to cycle through the gallery.
A 1987 Chevy bus converted into a motor coach was part of a three-vehicle crash in the intersection of Bluff Street and Black Ridge Drive. The driver of the motor coach allegedly ran a red light and caused the collision, St. George, Utah, Feb. 14, 2017 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News
A 1987 Chevy bus converted into a motor coach was part of a three-vehicle crash in the intersection of Bluff Street and Black Ridge Drive. The driver of the motor coach allegedly ran a red light and caused the collision, St. George, Utah, Feb. 14, 2017 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News
A 1987 Chevy bus converted into a motor coach was part of a three-vehicle crash in the intersection of Bluff Street and Black Ridge Drive. The driver of the motor coach allegedly ran a red light and caused the collision, St. George, Utah, Feb. 14, 2017 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News
A 1987 Chevy bus converted into a motor coach was part of a three-vehicle crash in the intersection of Bluff Street and Black Ridge Drive. The driver of the motor coach allegedly ran a red light and caused the collision, St. George, Utah, Feb. 14, 2017 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News
A 1987 Chevy bus converted into a motor coach was part of a three-vehicle crash in the intersection of Bluff Street and Black Ridge Drive. The driver of the motor coach allegedly ran a red light and caused the collision, St. George, Utah, Feb. 14, 2017 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News
A 1987 Chevy bus converted into a motor coach was part of a three-vehicle crash in the intersection of Bluff Street and Black Ridge Drive. The driver of the motor coach allegedly ran a red light and caused the collision, St. George, Utah, Feb. 14, 2017 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA — In a bipartisan move, Sens. Orrin Hatch, Dianne Feinstein, Thom Tillis and Joe Manchin have introduced the Probation Officer Protection Act of 2017, a bill that will protect probation officers and enhance their ability to do their job by giving them authority to arrest a third party who forcibly interferes with an officer’s performance of his or her official duties.
Hatch said:
This commonsense, bipartisan legislation helps to ensure that federal probation officers have the proper tools and authority necessary to protect themselves from hostile individuals who may attempt to harm them or otherwise interfere while they perform their important work. This bill also supports our men and women in law enforcement by freeing up precious time and resources for the local police, who will no longer need to accompany and provide backup for probation officers. Because many states already grant state probation officers authority to arrest third parties who forcibly interfere with an officer’s performance of his or her official duties, it only makes sense to give federal probation officers the same authority.
Under current law, a federal probation officer may arrest a probationer or individual on supervised release if the officer has probable cause to believe that the offender has violated a condition of his or her probation or release. The officer may make the arrest with or without a warrant. However, Feinstein said, officers are often placed in “compromising situations” when they attempt a search of property.
“Friends and relatives of individuals on probation may threaten violence or block them from conducting their search,” Feinstein said. “This has happened several times in California. Our bill addresses this problem by allowing probation officers to arrest individuals who try to stop them from doing their jobs.”
In addition to doing their jobs, Tillis also mentioned the need of probation officers to protect themselves in general.
“Probation officers play a critical role in our criminal justice system by promoting public safety and working with offenders to manage risks and reduce recidivism,” Tillis said. “Our probation officers also need the ability to protect themselves, and this bipartisan legislation will give them the necessary authority to arrest individuals who threaten their safety or interfere with their job performance that is so crucial to the safety of our communities.”
In practice, formal arrests by probation officers are rare. Rather, probation officers use their authority to lawfully engage in less restrictive uses of force, such as ordering an offender to stand aside during a search, instructing an offender not to interfere with the officer’s movements or in rare cases, temporarily restraining an offender who poses a physical danger.
Current law does not, however, address a probation officer’s arrest authority in situations where a third party attempts to physically obstruct the officer or cause the officer physical harm.
Although obstructing a probation officer in the performance of his or her official duties is illegal, when a probation officer encounters an uncooperative or violent third party, the officer may be forced to retreat because he or she lacks authority to restrain the third party.
This lack of authority and resulting need to retreat exposes probation officers to greater risk of harm and allows the third party – along with any evidence or individual the third party is attempting to shield – to elude capture. As a result, evidence that an offender has violated a condition of his or her probation or supervised release, or evidence of other criminal activity, may be lost.
In some circumstances, a probation officer may be able to enlist the assistance of local police in responding to a hostile third party. But this is not, in and of itself, an adequate solution.
First, unless the probation officer knows in advance that he or she is likely to encounter a hostile third party and can find an available police officer to accompany him or her, the probation officer must wait for police backup to arrive. This is often not a viable option.
Second, even if a local police officer is available to accompany the probation officer, because the probation officer lacks arrest authority, he or she cannot lawfully assist the police officer if the police officer is accosted.
Third, requiring federal probation officers to rely on local law enforcement in responding to uncooperative or violent third parties burdens local police departments and diverts police resources from other uses.
“Our law enforcement officers throughout West Virginia and across the country go above and beyond to protect our communities,” Manchin said. “Our probation officers need the authority to do their jobs, and I am proud to be an original cosponsor on this bill that will ensure they are able to protect the communities they serve and make us all safer.”
ST. GEORGE — A Utah man has been sentenced to prison after entering a guilty plea Thursday to human trafficking-related charges.
Todd Jeremy Rettenberger was sentenced to one to 15 years in prison for second-degree felony human trafficking and zero to five years for third-degree felony exploitation of prostitution, according to a statement issued Saturday by the Office of the Utah Attorney General. The sentences will run concurrently.
“Importantly, this case demonstrates that human trafficking is real. It exists in Utah as it does across the nation and around the world,” Attorney General Sean Reyes said. “It takes many forms and can happen anywhere.”
Rettenberger was charged in April of 2016 after police received reports that he was running a commercial sex operation out of Bountiful, along the Wasatch Front, and into other states.
Todd Jeremy Rettenberger | Photo courtesy of Salt Lake County Sheriffs Office, St. George News
The Utah Attorney General’s Office’s Secure Strike Force and the Bountiful City Police Department investigated the allegations and found two females who were reportedly victimized by Rettenberger as part of this operation, according to the statement.
“The victims of this trafficker were girls, barely older than teens, forced into prostitution against their will and compelled to stay in ‘the life’ by threats against their well-being and against their families,” Reyes said.
The women alleged that Rettenberger used forceful and coercive tactics, including threats of violence, physical violence, exploitation of their drug dependencies and financial coercion.
As a result of Rettenberger’s guilty plea, Reyes said he was “thrilled” the alleged victims in the case would not have to endure a trial and “be forced to relive the atrocities perpetrated upon them.”
Reyes noted that it’s imperative to empower the survivors with resources to help them heal and reclaim their lives.
“Lastly,” Reyes added, “I reiterate my deep appreciation to each federal, state, county and city law enforcement agency that works side-by-side with the Utah AGO every day to disrupt human trafficking and related crimes in all their insidious forms.”
According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children there are currently about 300,000 children in the United States who are victims of human trafficking.
Recent statistics released by the Department of Public Safety show evidence of child human-trafficking in Utah. In 2013, there were 179 juveniles arrested for prostitution. In 2014, 242 were jailed.
The Utah Attorney General’s Office administers and coordinates the Secure Strike Force partnership with the Utah Department of Public Safety and county, federal and city law enforcement agencies to combat violent and other major felony crimes associated with illegal immigration and human trafficking.
Human trafficking is a modern-day form of slavery involving the illegal trade of people for exploitation or commercial gain. It is estimated that human trafficking is a $32 billion per year industry, second only to drug trafficking as the most profitable form of transnational crime.
Traffickers use force, fraud or coercion to lure their victims and force them into labor or commercial sexual exploitation. They look for people who are vulnerable.
Many misconceptions exist about human trafficking. For example, people think it only occurs abroad; that victims are only foreign-born or impoverished individuals; that traffickers are always strangers; and that victims always have visible chains.
Human trafficking exists in every country, including the United States. It exists nationwide – in cities, suburbs and rural towns – and probably in your own community.
Human trafficking victims can be any age, race, gender or nationality: young children, teenagers, women, men, runaways, United States citizens and foreign-born individuals. They may come from all socioeconomic groups.
You may have heard about sex trafficking, but forced labor is also a significant and prevalent type of human trafficking. Victims are found in legitimate and illegitimate labor industries, including sweatshops, massage parlors, agriculture, restaurants, hotels and domestic service. Note that sex trafficking and forced labor are both forms of human trafficking, involving the exploitation of a person.
According to U.S. federal law, any minor under the age of 18 who is induced to perform commercial sex acts is a victim of human trafficking, regardless of whether he or she is forced or coerced.
Human trafficking is not the same as smuggling. “Trafficking” is exploitation-based and does not require movement across borders. “Smuggling” is movement-based and involves moving a person across a country’s border with that person’s consent, in violation of immigration laws.
Human trafficking is often a hidden crime. Victims may be afraid to come forward and get help; they may be forced or coerced through threats or violence; they may fear retribution from traffickers, including danger to their families; and they may not be in possession or have control of the identification documents.
“Anybody who would say that human trafficking and child exploitation doesn’t exist in our community is perpetuating a very irresponsible myth amongst the community,” Reyes said at a press conference held at the Utah State Capitol last July.
In April and May of 2016, the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force took part in a nationwide sweep of child predators, called Operation Broken Heart III. Authorities arrested 1,368 suspects, including 71 from Utah. The suspects were charged with various offenses including possession and manufacturing of child pornography and soliciting children online for sex.
