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 Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information.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.
PRICE — A Carbon County couple accused of distributing drugs have been arrested after police say they found approximately 9,000 fentanyl pills and other illegal substances in a storage unit.
AJ Robert Ford, 38, and Joanne Ford, 58, were arrested and booked into the Carbon County Jail for investigation of two counts of drug possession with intent to distribute and possession of paraphernalia.
According to a police booking affidavit, police have been investigating the Fords for the past year.
"During the past year, I have served several search warrants at the residence belonging to AJ and Joanne Ford. During each search warrant large amounts of illicit substances were located. These substances included but were not limited to suspected methamphetamine, suspected heroin and suspected fentanyl tablets," the arresting officer wrote in the affidavit while also noting that more than two pounds of meth were found during a previous search warrant.
During that time, investigators had also been looking for a storage unit where the Fords allegedly "store the largest amount of their illicit substances inside," according to the affidavit.
That unit was found last week and a search warrant was obtained to go through it. The Drug Enforcement Administration assisted in the search.
"Once inside the storage unit, I located a blue cardboard box," the affidavit states. "Inside the cardboard box there were two large clear plastic bags. Inside the first clear plastic bag was over 1 pound of suspected heroin. Inside the second clear plastic bag was an estimation of over 9,000 suspected fentanyl tablets."
Police then located Joanne Ford on Monday morning and arrested her. AJ Ford, who was at a treatment facility in Castle Dale, was arrested that afternoon, the affidavit states.
Due to the amount of heroin and fentanyl seized, and AJ Ford's prior drug-related convictions, police are requesting that prosecutors charge him with first-degree felonies.
