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SALT LAKE CITY — A Colorado man has been arrested after police say he caused the evacuation of the Matheson Courthouse on Tuesday after leaving a piece of luggage against the courthouse.
Although the luggage did not contain anything illegal, what Eric Lynn Bentrum was allegedly carrying in his bags with him when police found him, did prompt officers to arrest him, in addition to Bentrum being on parole from Colorado.
Bentrum, 55, was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail for investigation of drug distribution and possession of drug paraphernalia.
The evacuation of the courthouse, 450 S. State, and a bank in the 400 block of Main Street, began about 12:30 p.m. Tuesday when the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office was "notified of a suspicious package against the courthouse," according to police booking affidavit,
Several agencies responded, including the Salt Lake police bomb squad. By 3:30 p.m. the luggage was determined to not be a threat and the evacuation was lifted, although a spokeswoman for the courts said employees were sent home by 4 p.m.
Bentrum was located by police nearby on a bicycle. Police searching the bags he had with him found nearly 6 pounds of marijuana, five THC cartridges and drug paraphernalia, the affidavit states.
"Detectives learned (Bentrum) is on parole out of the state of Colorado. Colorado Department of Corrections was contacted and advised that (he) should have not left the state of Colorado. An arrest warrant was issued … with full extradition," the affidavit states.
