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SALT LAKE CITY — A Salt Lake man is facing federal charges following an investigation that started with a routine traffic stop and ended in what Salt Lake City police are calling a "historic" drug bust.
A federal complaint was filed a week ago against Anthony Owen Pawley, 65, on charges of possession of meth with intent to distribute and possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute. A federal grand jury indicted Pawley on the same chargers Wednesday as well as for being felon in possession of a firearm. His initial court appearance is scheduled for Friday.
Between Pawley's car and his residence, detectives seized approximately 45 pounds of methamphetamine, prosecutors said. By comparison in other Utah cases, Unified police seized 68 pounds of meth in 2016, which was believed at the time to be one of the biggest meth busts in the state's history. And 57 pounds of meth were seized by the Drug Enforcement Administration in Salt Lake City in 2012.
"This historic drug bust is significantly important for the Salt Lake City Police Department as we continue to work toward keeping our city safe," police spokesman Brent Weisberg said Wednesday.
Weisberg said the investigation began with a routine traffic stop by officers in the Liberty Patrol Division. And although investigations like this one take a lot of time and resources, he said, the case moved quickly upstream to the Salt Lake City Police Department's Violent Criminal Apprehension Team with assistance from the U.S. Attorney's Office in Utah and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
On May 9, detectives with the Violent Criminal Apprehension Team watched as Pawley backed out of a driveway near 1600 W. California Ave. and pulled him over a short time later after he committed traffic violations, according to documents filed in federal court.
A drug-sniffing police K-9 was brought to the scene and conducted an exterior search of the vehicle. The dog indicated the possible presence of drugs inside the vehicle, the complaint states.
"Inside, (police) found approximately five pounds of suspected methamphetamine and several hundred blue pressed pills suspected to contain fentanyl," according to the charges.
Detectives then obtained a search warrant for Pawley's residence and a storage shed in Murray.
"Upon executing the warrants they found approximately 40 pounds of suspected methamphetamine at Pawley's residence and approximately 15,000 fentanyl pills, along with two firearms, at his storage unit," the charges state.
Pawley was previously convicted in federal court on drug-related crimes, according to court records.