CCSO Press Release
On the evening of August 4, 2020, local law enforcement officers were dispatched to a possible domestic violence call that was taking place in a white passenger vehicle. The vehicle was traveling northbound on Hwy 10 and had just passed Ridge Road heading toward Price. The caller also stated that a cell phone was thrown out of the vehicle.
Sgt. Rick Adams of the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office observed the vehicle in question at approximately 800 South in Price. Sgt. Adams activated his overhead lights and conducted a traffic stop at 600 South Carbon Avenue. Sgt. Adams then made contact with the driver, David Edward Lucero, and explained to him the reason of the traffic stop. Also in the vehicle with Mr. Lucero was Jory Ellington and Jessica Cunningham.
During the investigation and with the help of the Utah Highway Patrol, Price City Police Department and Deputies Tory Christiansen and Brandon Wilson, information was gathered that Mr. Lucero was on Parole and did not have a valid driver’s license. It was also determined that Jory Ellington was a Parole Fugitive and was wanted by the Board of Pardons and Parole.
The investigation determined that no domestic violence had occurred and that the phone was thrown out of the vehicle at the owner’s request, due to an alarm that would not shut off. After the initial complaint was investigated, a vehicle search was conducted due to the fact that Mr. Lucero and Mr. Ellington was under the supervision of the Department of Corrections, and drug paraphernalia was observed in plain view.
The female, Jessica Cunningham, advised that they had just arrived in Carbon County after a trip to Los Angeles, where they picked up Mr. Lucero. After separating the occupants of the vehicle, they were questioned individually about the domestic violence complaint, during this process, drug paraphernalia was observed in plain view in the back seat of the rental vehicle.
With the assistance of Deputy Christiansen and his K9 “Bas” who alerted on both the exterior and the interior of the vehicle, a thorough search was then completed. During the search, Deputies located over eight ounces of Heroin, eight grams of Methamphetamine, 23 grams of Marijuana, five Suboxone Strips, 300 plastic baggies used for drug distribution, an IPad, a Samsung tablet, a Star Fire 9mm handgun, miscellaneous coins (50 cent pieces), a 20 gram gold bar, miscellaneous jewelry and several cell phones. Some of the items recovered were originally taken during a burglary that occurred in Salt Lake City earlier this year. The street value of the seized drugs was approximately $28,000.00.
Jessica Cunningham (36 of Salt Lake) was arrested and booked into the Carbon County Jail on the following charges: Possession of Heroin with the Intent to Distribute, Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Suboxone, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
Edward David Lucero (53 of Sandy) was arrested and booked into the Carbon County Jail on the following charges: Possession of Heroin with the Intent to Distribute, Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Possession of Suboxone, and Driving on a Suspended Driver’s License.
Jory Ellington (44 of Helper) was arrested and booked into the Carbon County Jail on the following charges: Possession of Heroin with the Intent to Distribute, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and the Board of Pardons and Parole Board Warrant.
All charges will be screened by the Carbon County Attorney’s Office.
Sgt. Rick Adams of the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office observed the vehicle in question at approximately 800 South in Price. Sgt. Adams activated his overhead lights and conducted a traffic stop at 600 South Carbon Avenue. Sgt. Adams then made contact with the driver, David Edward Lucero, and explained to him the reason of the traffic stop. Also in the vehicle with Mr. Lucero was Jory Ellington and Jessica Cunningham.
During the investigation and with the help of the Utah Highway Patrol, Price City Police Department and Deputies Tory Christiansen and Brandon Wilson, information was gathered that Mr. Lucero was on Parole and did not have a valid driver’s license. It was also determined that Jory Ellington was a Parole Fugitive and was wanted by the Board of Pardons and Parole.
The investigation determined that no domestic violence had occurred and that the phone was thrown out of the vehicle at the owner’s request, due to an alarm that would not shut off. After the initial complaint was investigated, a vehicle search was conducted due to the fact that Mr. Lucero and Mr. Ellington was under the supervision of the Department of Corrections, and drug paraphernalia was observed in plain view.
The female, Jessica Cunningham, advised that they had just arrived in Carbon County after a trip to Los Angeles, where they picked up Mr. Lucero. After separating the occupants of the vehicle, they were questioned individually about the domestic violence complaint, during this process, drug paraphernalia was observed in plain view in the back seat of the rental vehicle.
With the assistance of Deputy Christiansen and his K9 “Bas” who alerted on both the exterior and the interior of the vehicle, a thorough search was then completed. During the search, Deputies located over eight ounces of Heroin, eight grams of Methamphetamine, 23 grams of Marijuana, five Suboxone Strips, 300 plastic baggies used for drug distribution, an IPad, a Samsung tablet, a Star Fire 9mm handgun, miscellaneous coins (50 cent pieces), a 20 gram gold bar, miscellaneous jewelry and several cell phones. Some of the items recovered were originally taken during a burglary that occurred in Salt Lake City earlier this year. The street value of the seized drugs was approximately $28,000.00.
Jessica Cunningham (36 of Salt Lake) was arrested and booked into the Carbon County Jail on the following charges: Possession of Heroin with the Intent to Distribute, Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Suboxone, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
Edward David Lucero (53 of Sandy) was arrested and booked into the Carbon County Jail on the following charges: Possession of Heroin with the Intent to Distribute, Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Possession of Suboxone, and Driving on a Suspended Driver’s License.
Jory Ellington (44 of Helper) was arrested and booked into the Carbon County Jail on the following charges: Possession of Heroin with the Intent to Distribute, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and the Board of Pardons and Parole Board Warrant.
All charges will be screened by the Carbon County Attorney’s Office.