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HOLLADAY — A woman accused of operating a drug house in her rental basement apartment in Holladay is now facing several serious criminal charges.
Lisa Bangerter, 59, was charged Monday in 3rd District Court with two counts of possession of a clandestine lab and precursors, one first-degree felony and one second-degree felony; three counts of drug possession with intent to distribute, two second-degree felonies and a third-degree felony; and possession of drug paraphernalia, a class B misdemeanor.
In February, following a yearlong investigation, Unified police served a search warrant at 4825 S. Brooks Way (1500 East). Bangerter "was in the middle of a cook when the search warrant was initiated," according to charging documents.
Police found drugs — including cocaine, heroin and marijuana — drug paraphernalia and a "cookbook," the charges state. When questioned by detectives, she allegedly "admitted to purchasing cocaine and processing it into crack."
The officer who arrested Bangerter noted she had a lot of customers.
"Throughout this investigation I have identified numerous visitors to this home who are on county probation, Department of Corrections parole, or federal probation. I have also identified numerous others with extensive (criminal) histories varying from drug possession to manslaughter as well as documented gang members," a police booking affidavit states.
Unified police say finding crack cocaine labs today isn't nearly as common as it was in the 1980s and 1990s. Interest in the drug dropped after methamphetamine became more popular.
