At the end of September, an East Carbon Police Officer was informed of a possible theft of a firearm by a restricted person. It was indicated by the victim that James William Pendleton was a guest in her residence that later accompanied her to a second location.
At the second location, the victim stated that Pendleton began speaking about someone following them, and pulled out a semi-automatic handgun from his backpack. Reports state that the victim recognized the gun as one of their own and was unaware of how Pendleton came to have it in his possession.
The victim was able to retrieve the weapon, which was given to the department for analysis. A written statement detailing these events were also given by the victim. Due to Pendleton being a Category 1 Restricted Person, possession and theft of a firearm constitutes felony offenses, making it necessary to place him under arrest as soon as possible.
On Oct. 7, Helper Police Chief Sean Draper was speaking with a deputy when he observed Pendleton’s vehicle in his parent’s driveway in Helper. Contact was then made with the East Carbon Police Department, who requested that Pendleton be taken into custody.
Chief Draper and two deputies from the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO), Zac Hathaway and Erik Buchmiller, responded to the residence to make contact with Pendleton’s father, who confirmed that he was at the house. Pendleton was served with papers and told that he would be taken into custody, though it was reported that he became argumentative, allegedly refusing to step outside of the residence.
Pendleton was able to barricade himself inside of one of the rooms before being placed into custody. Though the chief and the deputies reported attempting to reason with Pendleton, he ultimately refused to be taken. Due to Pendleton having a history of being violent with law enforcement, a willingness to flee and the possibility of being in possession of a firearm, backup from SWAT was requested.
The CCSO’s SWAT team arrived on the scene and control was taken over by them. Following the utilization of the SWAT equipment, Pendleton was contained to a room on the second floor of the residence, where he was allegedly found digging through a closet. While clearing the residence, it was discovered that there was a firearm safe in the closet, along with ammunitions.
Pendleton was evaluated by medical personnel and taken to the Carbon County Jail. According to his criminal history, he has been charged with 28 felonies in his life and has been convicted of 10 felonies. In 2015, he was convicted of manslaughter and additionally has three active Utah protective orders against him.
Due to Pendleton being a restricted person and having easy access to the guns, owned by his father, they were seized following a warrant. Pendleton was booked for failure to stop at the command of a peace officer and 11 counts of possession of a firearm by a Category 1 Restricted Person.