Summit police arrest 2 heavily armed men
Details of the incident were released Wednesday by the Summit County Sheriff's Office.
Inside the men's residence near Parleys Summit, officers found four handguns and two shotguns — including a sawed-off shotgun and a rifle with a scope on it, said Summit County sheriff's detective Joshua Wall.
Some of the guns were loaded, including the sawed-off shotgun which was kept next to the entrance of one of the bedrooms, he said.
"From (the information) we gathered, these guys are violent," Wall said. "People who knew them and knew their tendencies were surprised we didn't end up in a shootout."
The investigation began April 28 about 2:30 a.m. when a deputy looking for a motorcycle he had seen speeding spotted one that matched the description. The officer discovered the license plate on the bike was reported stolen and the VIN number had been removed, Wall said. Another vehicle next to the motorcycle was also discovered to be stolen, he said.
After no one answered the door and after deputies gathered more information about the residents, the sheriff's office returned with its major crimes task force about 8:30 a.m. to serve a no-knock search warrant.
"They didn't try to do anything," he said.
Two pit bulls greeted officers at the door. A puppy didn't cause any problems for law enforcers. An adult, however, who was "very aggressive," ran off after officers were forced to use pepper spray on it.
"It was pretty high risk," he said of the ordeal. "It could have been a lot worse. The situation was pretty volatile."
In addition to weapons and ammunition, investigators found a bullet-proof vest, marijuana with an estimated street value of $8,000 to $10,000, drug paraphernalia, $20,000 in cash, credit cards, computers and mp3 players, Wall said.
Some of the guns and at least one computer were confirmed to be stolen. One of the guns was stolen from a residential burglary in Taylorsville, and another from a vehicle in Salt Lake, Wall said. As the investigation progressed, he said detectives expected to discover other items that were seized were also stolen from Salt Lake and Summit counties.
Investigators believe the men were involved in drug trafficking and the cache of guns was to protect their business, Wall said. He wasn't sure if the other stolen items, such as computers, mp3 players and vehicles, were being stolen or traded in exchange for drugs.
An 18-year-old was arrested for investigation of drug paraphernalia. A 21-year-old man was arrested for investigation of possession of stolen firearms, drug possession with intent to distribute, obstruction of justice and possession of drug paraphernalia.
A 17-year-old female was also taken to juvenile detention.
Additional charges were pending Wednesday.
E-mail: preavy@desnews.com
