Helper City Police Department Press Release
On Tuesday at approximately 11 p.m., members of the Helper City Police Department, Carbon County SWAT Team, Carbon/Metro Drug Task Force and Wellington City Police Department executed a search warrant on an apartment, located at 66 South Main Street in Helper.
The warrant targeted convicted felon and resident of the apartment, identified as 38-year-old Michael Warren Wardle. The subsequent search of the residence resulted in the seizure of the following contraband items: two loaded illegal handguns, 64 grams of heroin, 26 grams of methamphetamine, 116 grams of marijuana, 26 grams of psilocybin mushrooms, 20 schedule IV prescription pills, over 100 drug paraphernalia items, burglary tools and documents involving stolen vehicles.
Wardle was not present upon entry into the apartment and has possibly fled the area. The search warrant stemmed initially from an unrelated arrest made by Helper Officer Sean Draper the day prior and a subsequent arrest by Helper Officer Garrett Safley.
Details obtained from those arrests provided Officer Draper the information needed to further investigate suspected narcotics distribution, which then involved the Carbon/Metro Drug Task Force and the resulting search warrant. At the time of this release, Wardle has not been located and is wanted for questioning by the Helper Police Department. If anyone knows the whereabouts of Michael Wardle, please contact your local law enforcement or dial 911. Due to the findings of the search warrant, Wardle is to be considered armed and dangerous.
