Undercover meth buy leads to arrest

Stock photo | St. George News

CEDAR CITY — A 30-year-old Cedar City man was arrested Monday and charged with distribution of methamphetamine, a second-degree felony, after authorities allege he made a sale to an undercover informant.

Daniel Jay Engstrom, Iron County Jail, Cedar City, Utah, Dec. 29, 2015 | Courtesy of Iron County Bookings, St. George News
Daniel Jay Engstrom, Iron County Jail, Cedar City, Utah, Dec. 29, 2015 | Courtesy of Iron County Bookings, St. George News

The controlled buy took place on Dec. 17, according to a probable cause statement filed in support of the arrest of Daniel Jay Engstrom.

Agents with the Iron Garfield Beaver Drug Task Force met with the informant before the purchase was made on Dec. 17 to discuss the details of the purchase.

The informant was searched previous to the buy to ensure there were no illegal drugs already on his person and then given task force money to purchase the drugs, according to the statement.

The entire purchase was recorded with hidden surveillance equipment that was furnished to the informant by the task force immediately before they met with Engstrom, the statement read.

When the buy was made, the informant returned to an undisclosed meeting place where they provided agents with a baggie filled with a “white crystalline substance” purchased from Engstrom. According to the statement, a test of the bagged substance yielded positive results for methamphetamine.

When Engstrom was arrested Monday, the statement read, he admitted to being addicted to meth, but denied selling it to the informant until he was shown the evidence they had against him. Even then, he told authorities he was only acting as a facilitator for others and denied distribution.  

“Daniel was confronted with the evidence in this case including the fact there was audio surveillance of the Controlled Buy,” according to the statement. “Daniel admitted to being a ‘middle man’ but continued to deny he was selling drugs.”

Engstrom was released from the Iron County Jail Wednesday on $10,000 bail posted by AAA Bail Bonds.

Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2015, all rights reserved.

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7 Comments

  • Billy Madison December 31, 2015 at 2:40 pm

    It’s not mine officer, I found it. I don’t sell it, I don’t know where it came from. You gotta believe me, it’s not mine this time. Someone must have left it here. I don’t know, I’m innocent.

  • IDIOT COMMENTERS December 31, 2015 at 5:01 pm

    cedar city and a meth bust, is anyone surprised?

    • .... December 31, 2015 at 10:12 pm

      Wow that’s a good question idiot. tell us why you’re not surprised idiot ? You know something we don’t idiot ? maybe your partner Sgt Stupid can help you out captain idiot

    • ladybugavenger January 3, 2016 at 6:15 pm

      I’m am surprised that no dog was involved

  • sagemoon December 31, 2015 at 9:25 pm

    Dang tweeter.

  • 42214 January 1, 2016 at 1:10 pm

    Meth in Southern Utah, shocking!

  • .... January 1, 2016 at 8:01 pm

    Meth is for idiot ! oops I mean idiots ..wouldn’t want to get edited !

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