Three Price City Residents Arrested Following March Investigation

Price City Police Press Release

On Friday, at approximately 5 p.m., officers from the Price City Police Department, Carbon County Sheriff’s Office, Wellington Police Department and Adult Probation and Parole served a search warrant that resulted in the arrest of three Price City residents.

James William Pendleton Jr., 39, was booked and charged with possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine) with intent to distribute in a drug free zone, a first degree felony; possession of drug paraphernalia, a class A misdemeanor; aggravated assault 76-5-103, a second degree felony; and possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person, a third degree felony.

Ashley Ann Platt, 21, was booked and charged with possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine) in a drug free zone, a second degree felony; possession of drug paraphernalia in a drug free zone, a class A misdemeanor; unlawful acquisition, possession, or transfer of a financial transaction card, a third degree felony; and unlawful possession of another’s identification document, a third degree felony. Platt was also booked on an unrelated statewide warrant and placed on a 72-hour hold by Adult Probation and Parole.

Michael Dees, 39, was booked on a 72-hour hold from Adult Probation and Parole.

The Carbon County Attorney will screen all reports to determine appropriate formal charges.

The arrests stemmed from an intensive investigation by Price Police beginning on March 29. Lead investigator Det. Chris Pugliese was the case manager.

On March 29, a Price City male resident presented himself at the Castleview Hospital Emergency Room. He had been savagely beaten and had to be air transported to a northern Utah hospital for treatment. The victim was initially hesitant to provide information to police  As the severity of his injuries became apparent, friends and family encouraged him to provide helpful information to the investigation. The man allegedly had stopped at the house of the suspect, James William Pendleton, who reportedly had been a neighborhood childhood friend. Pendleton allegedly, in an unprovoked manner, assaulted the man with a mid-sized wooden baseball bat.

Investigative information resulted in Det. Pugliese obtaining a search warrant for Pendleton and his residence in Price.  Pendleton was stopped in a vehicle near his house while officers were enroute to serve the search warrant. Platt and Dees were present with Pendleton in the vehicle  Allegedly, nearly 10 grams of methamphetamine and paraphernalia were located in the vehicle. Platt allegedly possessed paraphernalia and various driver licenses and credit cards that do not belong to her on her person. Platt was arrested for her warrant and new charges. Dees was arrested for the 72-hour hold.

Pendleton was escorted to his residence for service of the search warrant. Several other items of paraphernalia, the bat allegedly used in the assault and an airsoft pistol that looks like a semi-automatic handgun were also seized.

Pendleton has an extensive Utah criminal history involving, drug, theft and violence related charges. Dees also has a lengthy Utah criminal history. Both men have been in and out of prison. Platt has a developing history involving alcohol and drugs.