Subway worker cleared on charges of drugging officer

Composite image., St. George News

CLEARFIELD, Utah (AP) — Utah police say they won’t be filing any charges against a sandwich-shop worker accused of drugging a police officer’s drink with methamphetamine and THC because they can’t confirm the lemonade was actually contaminated.

Layton Police Lt. Travis Lyman said Tuesday that initial lab tests showed a foreign substance in the drink from Subway, but those results couldn’t be duplicated.

Eighteen-year-old Tanis Ukena was arrested Aug. 8 after a police sergeant reported feeling impaired immediately after Ukena served him a lemonade at a Subway.

Authorities said the officer, whose name was not released, struggled to find the brake pedal of his patrol car at a red light and couldn’t answer questions at the police station.

Ukena’s lawyer has said his client is a good kid who had no reason to target a police officer and didn’t put anything in the drink.

Ukena said he hardly left the house the last two months because he feared for his safety after receiving death threats.


READ MORE: Salt Lake City sandwich chain worker accused of drugging officer’s drink


The 18-year-old spoke Tuesday at his attorney’s office hours after Layton police announced they would not seek charges.

Flanked by his parents, Ukena said he supports law enforcement, but he is disappointed how Layton police handled his case and that they aren’t apologizing.

His mother, Heather Ukena, called the experience a living nightmare. His father, Landy Ukena, says his son’s case shows police must be more cautious and thorough.

Layton Police Lt. Travis Lyman said Tuesday the case was closed after state lab results couldn’t confirm that the officer’s drink had methamphetamine and THC, findings from initial field tests that led police to arrest Tanis Ukena.

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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28 Comments

  • .... October 12, 2016 at 8:41 am

    Well the city had a weak case from the very beginning and it just kept going down hill for them. no proof of food tampering could be verified. some you lose and some you win

    I don’t care how guilty of a crime someone is. it’s not what you know. It’s what you can prove in a court of law

    • Bob October 12, 2016 at 2:19 pm

      “I don’t care how guilty of a crime someone is”

  • ladybugavenger October 12, 2016 at 8:43 am

    This is a shame!

    So, was the officer under the influence of meth and THC?

    I feel bad for this family. This whole story seemed fishy from the start

    This is the updated corrected spelling version: )

  • Real Life October 12, 2016 at 9:03 am

    He must have just accidentally drank Dumpster’s pill laced soda.

    • ladybugavenger October 12, 2016 at 11:01 am

      I’m sorry Dot, no offense, I couldn’t help it. I laughed in quietly (LIQ) at this one

      • Bob October 12, 2016 at 11:53 pm

        i LOL’d at ur “LIQ”. thats a new one to me. u just invent that? ahahha

      • .... October 13, 2016 at 4:04 am

        Don’t worry about it ladybug it’s all good. ♡♡♡♡♡….I don’t have to say anything to RealLowlife I just have to show up and he goes into his personality disorder and it’s free entertainment for me

        • Real Life October 13, 2016 at 12:19 pm

          And you show up WAY too often. Get a job.

          • .... October 13, 2016 at 5:16 pm

            You still having anger issues are you ? God bless you my fellow brethren

          • .... October 13, 2016 at 5:22 pm

            If you actually had a life and a job to go to you wouldn’t notice how often I come here would you stupid ? get a job ! God Bless you

          • .... October 13, 2016 at 6:16 pm

            LOL ! Cya tomorrow Muahahaha

        • Real Life October 14, 2016 at 12:14 pm

          There is not enough time in the day to reply to all of your comments, you pathetic loser.

      • ladybugavenger October 13, 2016 at 11:33 am

        It was actually my husband that invented it a year ago. I just stole it ( white people always stealing from the Native Americans)

        • ladybugavenger October 13, 2016 at 12:37 pm

          LIQ

          • .... October 13, 2016 at 5:24 pm

            I like LIQ …I think it’s cool

    • .... October 12, 2016 at 1:22 pm

      God Bless you my fellow brethren. Still having anger issues ?

    • Bob October 12, 2016 at 2:19 pm

      hahah

      • .... October 13, 2016 at 8:27 am

        hahah ? You’re better get some rest you must be exhausted after having a thought like that.

  • [email protected] October 12, 2016 at 10:12 am

    This kid endured some very hateful expressions back in August, as a result of his arrest. He will have to deal with this stain for the rest of his life, explaining to prospective employers and landlords who do a media search.
    Unclear what really happened to this officer, and whether his stop at Subway was even a factor…….
    At a minimum, the Layton Police are liable for his false arrest, based on flimsy circumstances back in August…..
    I am hoping the SL Tribune publishes an update to the article they published back in August, so the “record” gets corrected.
    Blaming the Crime Lab seems almost immature.

    • .... October 12, 2016 at 1:24 pm

      Yeah the whole thing from the beginning was waaaaaaaaaay out there

    • Bob October 12, 2016 at 11:54 pm

      lol, he should write the governor

  • Bob October 12, 2016 at 2:47 pm

    the cop isn’t telling the whole story

  • darkgoddess October 13, 2016 at 5:29 am

    Maybe the officer was under the influence, and tried to put the blame off on someone else to save his own reputation?

    • .... October 13, 2016 at 6:20 pm

      You never know. but this whole thing just doesn’t add up

  • Ron October 13, 2016 at 8:45 am

    Should have had the officer take a drug test.

    • .... October 13, 2016 at 5:18 pm

      Yep. .This whole thing is B.S

  • Kristi October 17, 2016 at 11:59 pm

    Where is he now??? The cop I mean??? Does he still have a job??? They need to do a drug test using the hair that way they can see if this is an isolated incident!!! I personally doubt it, it has bad cop writen all over it!!! And it says the police department is NOT going to apologize??? That’s messed up in so many ways!!! Oh and I totally agree with you OUTSIDER he should be getting another article stating the outcome of the alleged case. There’s so many things this kid can do!!! I just hope his attorney doesn’t screw him in the end!!!

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