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SALT LAKE CITY — A man suspected of smuggling $800,000 worth of heroin and methamphetamine into the Salt Lake area faces federal drug and gun charges.
A criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court charges Tony Richard Aguilera with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute; and possession of heroin with intent to distribute.
Aguilera, 38, was arrested last Friday with nearly 30 pounds of narcotics and weapons, including two live grenades, according to Unified police.
A fake ID found during a million-dollar drug bust in West Valley City helped investigators learn Aguilera had booked a room at the Staybridge Suites in Midvale. Serving a search warrant in Aguilera's hotel room, police said they found a suitcase under the bed containing nearly 24 pounds of methamphetamine and almost 6 pounds of heroin.
Aguilera was convicted in 2012 of unlawful possession of a financial card and failure to stop at a police officer's command. He was charged earlier this year in two separate cases, including two counts of possession of a controlled substance and two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia, according to court records.
