Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
Gene Kennedy reporting Busted again! A Salt Lake City drug house is shut down for the second time in a month.
Neighbors along 500 North and 800 West are hoping it's gone for good.
We've all heard about the revolving door of the drug world. It's one thing to see it on the news. It's another thing when it's your next door neighbor. Residents are hoping they won't see a repeat of what was already a repeat this morning.
Handcuffs have become almost like a familiar piece of clothing for these suspects. Two of the three people arrested overnight were busted at a drug house police thought they shutdown in early February.
It turns out the suspects bailed out jail, and while waiting for trial on drug charges, police say they went back to dealing.
Another spin on the same cycle.
After the first bust, the suspects who were renting the house at 555 N. 800 West received an eviction notice. But since it takes 30 days to take effect, police say they just went back to selling drugs.
Reba Rauch / Neighbor: "I think what you have here are a lot of rentals with dubious activity."
Nathan Gardner / Neighbor: "People tearing up the property...vandalizing and a lot of graffiti on new fences and what not"
Sarah Benson / Neighbor: "We never smelled any of the tell-tale signs of meth-making. So it probably is a distribution point."
Police say the suspects were dealing to a nearby homeless shelter and at Pioneer Park. When drug agents served a warrant there on February 9th, they say they found crack cocaine, marijuana, and methamphetamine. Today, not a large quantity found. But like last time, customers showed up at the house while drug agents were there.
Nathan Gardner / Neighbor: "It seems like it's so hard for them to put away someone who is so obviously doing something wrong."
Reba Rauch / Neighbor: "I'm happy to see any action to make it a safe place again. It doesn't feel very safe right now."
Sgt. Ryan Atack, Salt Lake City Police Dept: "These individuals will be eradicated... Neighbors will be able to have a nice quiet street"
Neighbors hope that's the case but not everyone's that optimistic.
Sarah Benson / Neighbor: "I don't think it will be it.. I think there will be more and more until it's boarded up or leveled."
Nathan Gardner / Neighbor: "I don't know. They'll clean up this mess but there's two or more others here on the block."
Nathan Gardner is so tired of the revolving door, he's decided to move.
Some of the suspects busted in early February were Hurricane Katrina evacuees from New Orleans. Police say these dealers often sold drugs to homeless people at a nearby shelter and at Pioneer Park.
During the first bust, police removed a 12-year-old girl from the home and put her into state custody. Officers tell us, despite the repeat drug offenses at this home, she was not here. The state has placed her with another family member. Police are relieved. At least the cycle doesn't repeat for her.
