Estimated read time: 2-3 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 Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information.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.
CLEARFIELD — A Clearfield man who investigators say was running a large-scale drug operation while also having numerous firearms on his property has been charged with 15 felony crimes.
Theodore Alexander Starr-Smith, 39, was charged Thursday in 2nd District Court with 10 counts of possession of a firearm by a restricted person and two counts of theft by receiving stolen property, both second-degree felonies; three counts of drug possession with intent to distribute, a third-degree felony; two counts of drug possession, a class A misdemeanor; and possession of drug paraphernalia, a class B misdemeanor.
The State Bureau of Investigation had received a tip that Starr-Smith was "distributing THC products and fentanyl," according to charging documents. Investigators kept surveillance on his house and observed short-term traffic, or people who pull up to the residence and then leave after a short amount of time, the charges state.
Investigators pulled over several of these cars after they left Starr-Smith's residence and found THC products, according to the charges.
On Aug. 12, investigators from the state and the Department of Homeland Security served search warrants on two storage units rented by Starr-Smith's girlfriend in Davis County, the charges state. Two firearms and drug paraphernalia was found, the charges state.
Next, investigators went to Starr-Smith's home with a search warrant.
"Agents then found evidence of a large-scale drug distribution operation in (his) kitchen. In all, agents located 23 pounds of marijuana, 3.55 pounds of THC wax, 346 THC cartridges, psilocybin mushroom chocolate, 12 grams of cocaine, and packaging materials, molds for THC edibles, and empty baggies," according to charging documents.
Two children were also in the house and investigators found a handgun inside a room believed to belong to them, the charges state. An additional seven firearms were found in an RV parked near the home. Two of the guns were confirmed to be stolen, according to charging documents.
"(Starr-Smith) acknowledged he is a convicted felon and that his DNA would be on the firearms because he teaches his children how to use guns properly. (He) indicated the firearms belonged to his children, although one (child) asked him why the officers were taking 'his guns,'" the charges state.
According to court records, Starr-Smith was convicted twice in 2010 in separate cases of possession of a firearm by a restricted person.
