Department of Justice Press Release

For Immediate Release
July 6, 2009
United States Attorney's Office
District of Utah
Contact: (801) 524-5682

Alleged Utah Drug Dealers, Distribution Organizations Targeted in Three Signficant Federal Indictments; Charges Allege Distribution of Cocaine, Heroin, Meth, Firearms Charges

SALT LAKE CITY – Fourteen individuals are charged in three federal indictments -- two returned Wednesday and one returned in June -- with violations of federal drug laws in connection with the alleged distribution of cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine in Utah. The indictments follow a significant 16-month investigation into drug trafficking organizations conducted by the FBI, Sandy City Police Department, the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

“Working with its state and local partners from the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force, which includes a number of municipal police agencies from the county, as well as the Sandy City Police Department, the FBI was able to utilize its investigative personnel, its technical resources, and its extensive language capabilities to address this significant drug trafficking organization, which was operating in several communities along the Wasatch Front. This 16-month investigation uncovered a network of individuals who utilized various commercial establishments to engage in their narcotics trafficking conspiracy. It is always the intent of the FBI to address these types of conspiracies from an organizational perspective and, rather than merely interdict the activities of individuals, the goal is to disrupt and dismantle the organization, which we believe has occurred in this case,â€