Man receives sentence after Hurricane officers find him passed out in parking lot of attorney’s office

Composite image with background stock image and overlay booking photo of Jared Rulon Jessop, 35, of Hurricane, booking photo taken in Washington County, Utah, March 23, 2020 | Photo courtesy of Washington County Sheriff’s Office, St. George News

ST. GEORGE — A Hurricane man was sentenced on felony weapons and misdemeanor drug charges during a hearing held in 5th District Court last week, one in which the judge told the defendant he “needed to figure it out,” before sentencing the defendant to jail.

2020 booking photo of Jared Rulon Jessop, 35, of Hurricane, booking photo taken in Washington County, Utah, March 23, 2020 | Photo courtesy of Washington County Sheriff’s Office, St. George News

On Thursday, 35-year-old Jared Rulon Jessop appeared before District Judge Keith C. Barnes via video for sentencing on third-degree felony possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person and possession of marijuana, a misdemeanor. Under the terms of the plea agreement, two misdemeanor charges were dismissed, including possession of paraphernalia and driving under the influence.

The charges stem from an arrest in Hurricane on March 23, 2020, after a witness called police reporting a man, later identified as Jessop, who was sitting in the driver’s seat unconscious with the car still running and a Glock semi-automatic pistol sitting on the passenger seat – a firearm Jessop was restricted from having due to a prior drug conviction.

At the time of the report, Hurricane Police Officer Ken Thompson said that station employees told the officers the car was in the parking lot running for nearly an hour by the time police were called. As it turned out, the defendant’s vehicle was in the parking lot of an attorney’s office, Thompson said shortly after the arrest.

A field sobriety test was administered, which police say the suspect failed, and he was taken into custody for DUI and third-degree felony possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person since the arresting officer determined the suspect had direct access to the firearm that was “well within his reach and he knew the pistol was present in the vehicle,” the affidavit said in charging documents filed with the court.

During the hearing Thursday, Prosecutor Rick Erickson addressed the court by saying the state would submit to the recommendations as set forth in the presentence report, adding the recommendation of a 30-day jail term and other provisions that were appropriate in serving the interest of justice. He also said the sentence was fair and favorable to the defendant as well.

The defendant, who represented himself in the case, also spoke during the hearing and requested that he be able to serve the jail sentence on the weekends. But this request was denied by Barnes, who said existing COVID restrictions at the jail do not allow for intermittent sentencing where the jail term can be broken down into weekends.

Barnes also addressed the defendant by saying he didn’t understand why Jessop would put himself in the situation he was in when officers found him in the parking lot in March of last year, particularly in light of Jessop’s history with drugs and alcohol.

“I just don’t know why you’re not getting it – but you need to figure it out,” Barnes said.

Following the recommendations as set forth in the presentence report, Barnes then sentenced Jessop to serve 30 days in jail, giving the defendant until 7 p.m. on Jan. 3, 2022 to turn himself in to Purgatory Correctional Facility to begin serving his sentence.

He was also placed on 36-months probation with Adult Probation and Parole and ordered to complete 50 hours of community service, as well as pay a $106 fine and adhere to all terms of his probation.

He was also ordered to complete a substance abuse evaluation and treatment. The prison term of 0-5 years was suspended in the case.

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2021, all rights reserved.

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