ST. GEORGE — Police arrested two Southern Utahns and a Mesquite, Nevada, resident Tuesday for their alleged involvement in a drug dealing operation at a Mesquite residence.
Mesquite Police Department narcotics detectives arrested Roberta Franco, 45 of Mesquite, after a lengthy investigation into allegations that she was selling drugs out of her home, according to a statement issued Wednesday by the Mesquite Police Department.
Detectives served a search warrant on Franco’s residence and on a vehicle driven there by Erick Maus-Montiel, 23 of Washington, and Destiny Quinn, 23 of St. George.
Franco was allegedly trafficking and selling methamphetamine out of her home as well as in the surrounding area, according to the statement. Franco was arrested on multiple felony counts following a search of her residence. Maus-Montiel and Quinn were also arrested after detectives allegedly found drugs and a weapon in their possession during a search of the vehicle.
“It just so happened that both Maus-Montiel and Quinn arrived before the search of the residence, so the car that they arrived in was also searched after a warrant was obtained,” Mesquite Police Department Public Information Officer Quinn Averett said.
Maus-Montiel was found in possession of methamphetamine, as well as a short-barreled shotgun, during the search, which also found Quinn in possession of heroin and drug paraphernalia.
All three were taken into custody and transported and booked into the Clark County Detention Center in Las Vegas.
Franco was charged with two felony counts of trafficking a controlled substance, one felony count of selling a controlled substance, one felony count of offering and agreeing to sell a controlled substance, one felony count of possession of a controlled substance and three misdemeanor counts of possession of drug paraphernalia.
Maus-Montiel was charged with one felony count of possession of a controlled substance, one felony count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, and one misdemeanor count of possession of drug paraphernalia.
Quinn was charged with one felony count of possession of a controlled substance, along with one misdemeanor count of possession of drug paraphernalia.
Averett said many of those arrested for drug related crimes by Mesquite officers are from Southern Utah.
“The primary focus here was Roberta Franco, but it’s not uncommon to find others involved that come down from Washington County or the surrounding area,” he said.
One such case involved 10 southern Utahns arrested at the end of October following a routine traffic stop. Mesquite Police Chief Troy Tanner conducted the stop on a vehicle where the driver and his passenger, both out of the Washington County area, were seen driving recklessly.
During a search of the vehicle, drugs and other items were found that led officers to a motel in Mesquite. Two of the rooms were searched after officers obtained search warrants. Multiple bags of drugs and paraphernalia were allegedly located, which ultimately led to the arrest of 11 suspects, 10 of whom were from Southern Utah.
Read More: Drug dealing operation found; 10 Southern Utahns arrested in Mesquite.
This report is based on preliminary information provided by law enforcement or first responders and may not contain the full scope of the 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.
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @STGnews
Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2016, all rights reserved.
This is absolutely fantastic news and I’m sure this will result in a positive reaction from the community and I would like to thank all those involved in making this possible and getting these criminals off the streets. Praise the Lord
Dang tweekers.
I am always glad to hear tweekers get what they deserve! But I got the impression that the police are biased twords southren Utah. And they made a point too say it twice! Tweekers are everywhere and too suggest that ” many come from Southren Utah” Well that pisses me off. BOYCOTT MESQUITE until they apologise for that slur!