ST. GEORGE — A suspected drug dealer was arrested in Washington City Wednesday after allegedly stealing merchandise from Walmart and stuffing it into his pants and underwear.
Rocco Attolico, 30, of Las Vegas, was also found with drugs, drug paraphernalia, two of his father’s finance cards and his father’s Nevada driver’s license, according to the probable cause statement written by the responding Washington City Police officer.
Attolico was arrested and charged with two third-degree felonies for drug possession with intent to distribute and two third-degree felonies for unlawful possession of a finance card. He was also charged with misdemeanors for retail theft between $500 and $1500, unlawful possession of an ID, possessing drug paraphernalia, possessing a burglary tool and giving false information to a police officer.
Attolico was found by an officer at about 6 p.m. Wednesday a short distance from the Walmart store in Washington City, where an employee called authorities about the suspect allegedly stealing three items.
“While that officer was speaking with the suspect, he observed a box-shaped item located inside the pant leg of the suspect,” reads the probable cause statement.
Attolico removed the item from his pants, which police discovered to be one of the items stolen from Walmart. After placing Attolico in handcuffs, police searched him further and found two more stolen items in his underwear.
Along with his father’s driver’s license and finance cards, police also found a magnetic tool used to open security devices at stores, Xanax pills and a “tooter straw” on him, which is often used for snorting cocaine.
In Attolico’s fanny pack, police also found a syringe and some heroin, according to the probable cause statement.
Attolico first told police his name was “Michael Williams,” and he told police he had permission to use the finance cards. Attolico gave police officers the phone number for the person who owned the finance cards because he said the person at the other end of the number would confirm he had permission to use the cards. So police called the number.
“The person we made contact with stated that he was the suspect’s father and that his son has stolen a lot of different cards from him and made accounts using his name,” reads the probable cause statement. “The father stated that his son’s name was Rocco Attolico.”
Attolico admitted to lying about his name and also told police he was hired by a man in Las Vegas as part of a theft ring to come to Utah, steal items and then sell them for money or drugs, according to the probable cause statement.
He was arrested and booked into Purgatory Correctional Facility with a $10,000 cash only bail. At the time of this report, Attolico remains in custody at the jail.
Officers from the Washington Police Department did not respond to St. George News’ request for comment on Attolico’s arrest or the “theft ring” Attolico allegedly said he was part of.
This report is based on statements from police and may not contain the full scope of findings. Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.
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Where did you go wrong, Rocco!??