While performing a routine patrol on Highway 6 on Aug. 26, an officer with the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office performed a traffic stop due to a vehicle speeding.
Deputy Garrett Blanc spoke with the driver of the vehicle and, while in discussion, noticed the strong odor of marijuana permeating out of the vehicle. When questioned, those occupying the vehicle informed him that there was marijuana in a bag in the footwell of the passenger seat. When the deputy asked if there was anything else in the vehicle he should be made aware of, he was told no.
From there, he asked the occupants to step out of the vehicle. While searching, the bag with the marijuana was located. However, Officer Blanc also found large amounts of cash that were spread throughout the vehicle. Each passenger in the vehicle also had no less than $1,000 on their person.
The search of the vehicle continued, aided by another deputy, who located multiple identification cards for one of the occupants. The identifications cards also had a number of matching credit cards.
When speaking with the occupant in question, Robert Cockroft, he was reportedly unable to give a good reason for the cards. However, he did inform the officers that there was more than marijuana in the vehicle.
Further inquiry led Deputy Blanc to discovering fentanyl pills, methamphetamine and multiple drug paraphernalia items. There were approximately 184 fentanyl pills, totaling around $2,392. A metal box with the name of another occupant, David Embry, led to the discovery of even more false identification cards and matching debit or credit cards.
The search continued and larger amounts of cash were located, prompting Deputy Blanc to have the vehicle impounded in order to continue the search in a more safe and secure location. At the end of the search, the aforementioned drugs and false cards, laptops, a printer, blank checks, cell phones, and more than $50,000 in cash was discovered.
Various edged weapons were also located in the vehicle as well as a set of brass knuckles. When interviewing the occupants, which also included Dequan Reid, Vashon Bennett and Richard Montague, it became apparent that all individuals in the vehicle had a part in the distribution of the fentanyl, according to the probable cause statement.
Each individual within the vehicle, all of whom reside outside of the area, was arrested for the use or possession of drug paraphernalia, use or possession of a controlled substance, use or possession of a controlled substance schedule I/II, money laundering, and possession of a dangerous weapon by restricted person. There was only one occupant of the vehicle that did not have a criminal history before the arrest.