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 Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information.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.
MOAB — A man who police say posted stickers all over Moab to protest all-terrain vehicles, and was then found to have drugs and numerous guns in his house, is now facing more than a dozen criminal charges.
Christian Langdon Wright, 39, of Moab, was charged Monday in 7th District Court with drug production, drug possession with intent to distribute, and criminal mischief, all second-degree felonies; seven counts of possession of a gun by a restricted person, a third-degree felony; three counts of drug possession, a class A misdemeanor; and possession of drug paraphernalia, a class B misdemeanor.
Just before Christmas, Moab police started receiving reports of stickers being placed on more than 40 signs around the city. The stickers all had messages against utility task vehicles such as "noise pollution," "UTV noise is child abuse," "renting UTVs Moab hates you" and "don't rent UTVs."
On Feb. 9, Wright was recorded on surveillance video posting stickers on traffic light posts on Main Street, according to charging documents. Then on Feb. 17, police served search warrants at Wright's home.
"Numerous items were located, including over 1,000 stickers that matched those which had been placed on signs throughout Moab City," the charges state. "In addition, the following were located throughout the house: containers of Gorilla super glue with stickers; 1,100 'DEAD TOURISTS DONT RENT UTVs' stickers; five loaded AR-15 style rifles with scopes; drug paraphernalia; eight packages of THC gummies; digital scale, empty capsules, an inactive mushroom grow with cover, humidifier, and high-grade soil; three Mason jars filled with psilocybin mushrooms; … a shotgun, three rifles with scopes; numerous magazines; and cans of various calibers of ammunition. The weapons found were loaded and were staged throughout the home."
Wright told police "he bought five the AR-15s to protect himself from those who may try to harm him, and if he had to defend democracy. These weapons were staged throughout his home because he was concerned about being assassinated," the charges state.
Witnesses also told police that Wright had allegedly threatened the owners of a local all-terrain vehicle business and some friends were concerned about his mental health and growing conspiracy theories, according to police.
Prosecutors noted in the charges that when Wright was arrested, he "made numerous statements about the Park Service and sending emails requesting an emergency meeting, a 'mysterious death' by a ranger in 1995, performing CPR on a woman who passed away on a river trip, testifying to the House of Representatives Natural Resource Oversight Committee, illegal retaliation from (the National Park Service), and doing research for (the National Park Service)."
When Wright's girlfriend was questioned, she told police that he "told her he purchased weapons in case of a 'governmental fail' or apocalyptical scenario," the charges state.
