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SALT LAKE CITY — Four people were arrested after more than 20 stolen checks, various identifications and credit cards along with a mask, a firearm and drugs were discovered in the vehicle they were in during a traffic stop, police said.
Officer pulled over a black Toyota Prius near 1300 S. State Street shortly before 5:40 p.m. Saturday, according to a Salt Lake police log. Ethan Cope, 22, Daniel Dietrick, 24, Amanda Putnam, 26, and Danette Gabaldon, 46, were all arrested during the stop.
Cope was driving the vehicle that was pulled over for a traffic violation, according to a jail report. The report stated Cope was on probation and Adult Probation & Parole officers responded and authorized a search of the vehicle.
Officers then found 7.7 grams of methamphetamine, 3.4 grams of heroin and a box containing ID cards, “several” checks and a birth certificate inside the trunk of the vehicle that did not belong to any of the individuals in the vehicle, according to the jail report. Some of the identifications had been reported stolen.
Police then found more checks inside the glovebox of the vehicle that “appeared to be washed and then made out to make payable” to Cope, according to the report. Salt Lake police also wrote in a police log that a handgun and a mask were discovered in the vehicle.
Cope was arrested on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance with an intent to distribute in addition to counts related to possessing the stolen property found inside the vehicle.
Officers also discovered drugs and drug paraphernalia when searching the other three occupants of the vehicle and those individuals were also arrested but on drug possession-related charges, according to the report.
