CEDAR CITY — Three people were arrested for suspected drug trafficking Monday, following a traffic stop north of Cedar City.
Arrested and booked into Iron County Jail were Christian Sanchez, 26, Juana Maria Baltazar, 27, and Miguel Angel Zambrano, 22.
According to a probable cause statement filed in support of the trio’s arrests, a vehicle being driven by Sanchez, with the other two riding as passengers, was traveling northbound on Interstate 15 near mile marker 66 at approximately 9 a.m. Monday, when it attracted the attention of a Utah Highway Patrol trooper who noticed that its window tint appeared to be darker than Utah’s legal limit.
“As I was passing the vehicle, I ran the plate,” the arresting trooper wrote in the affidavit.
The search results indicated that the vehicle’s registration had been suspended and that there was no record of insurance, the trooper wrote.
The trooper then initiated a traffic stop and the vehicle’s driver pulled over near mile marker 68.
“Upon initial approach, I detected the odor of raw marijuana emanating from the passenger compartment of the vehicle,” the trooper wrote, adding, “I also observed that the rear passenger did not have his seat belt on.”
A subsequent probable-cause search of the vehicle yielded a bag containing marijuana. None of the occupants had a valid medical marijuana card in their possession, according to the affidavit.
The trooper then looked in the trunk and located a package containing approximately 1.5 pounds of suspected narcotics behind the trunk liner. The contents of the package field-tested positive for heroin, the trooper added.
All three of the vehicle’s occupants, who are reportedly from California, have been charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, a second-degree felony, along with misdemeanor counts related to possession of drugs and paraphernalia. Additionally, Sanchez faces charges of operating a vehicle without a valid driver license and failing to have insurance or proper vehicle registration.
Both Sanchez and Zambrano remain incarcerated in Iron County Jail as of Thursday morning, while Baltazar was released after being booked and promising to appear. The two men made their initial court appearances in 5th District Court on Wednesday; they each had a public defender assigned to their case.
This report is based on information provided by law enforcement 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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