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SALT LAKE CITY — A man from West Valley City was charged in federal court for possessing nearly 100 pounds of various illegal drugs and 17 firearms, which were allegedly being used to further drug trafficking crimes.
Innocente Ramirez, 38, was charged in federal court on Wednesday with possession of methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine and fentanyl with intent to distribute, along with possession of a firearm, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office in Utah.
The release says law enforcement officers found 50 pounds of methamphetamine, 33 pounds of heroin, 13 pounds of cocaine, 5,000 fentanyl pills, and 17 firearms in Ramirez's home and a storage unit owned by him.
Allegations in the criminal complaint filed against Ramirez say special agents from Homeland Security Investigations and task force officers from the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force began investigating his alleged drug trafficking operation in August.
The legal document said one pound of methamphetamine was delivered to officers, through a drop-off to a confidential informant at a West Valley City Home Depot. Officers were able to find the location of his residence in West Valley City by following him home and later followed him to a storage unit on Warm Springs Road in Salt Lake City. They obtained search warrants for both locations.
In the storage unit, officers said they found most of the drugs and 17 firearms, two of which were stolen. At Ramirez's home, officers said they found two more firearms, drug packaging material and drug paraphernalia.
A traffic stop was later conducted and Ramirez was taken into custody, according to charging documents. Homeland Security special agent Hector Funes said Ramirez agreed to speak with law enforcement and told them he began distributing narcotics because he needed money.
Because it is a federal case, assistant U.S. attorneys from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Utah will prosecute the case.
On Friday, prosecutors asked to keep Ramirez in detention because the offense he is charged with would have a maximum imprisonment term of 10 or more years.
