UHP and K-9 take down another alleged drug dealer in Washington County

Stock image | St. George News

ST. GEORGE — A routine traffic stop on Interstate 15 led to the arrest of a 37-year-old man on drug distribution charges Sunday after a Washington County narcotics K-9 helped intercept 2 pounds of marijuana.

Oscar Domingo Bautista, of Los Angeles, California, booking photo posted Oct. 8, 2017 | Photo courtesy of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, St. George News

Just after 1 p.m., a trooper observed a vehicle making lane changes along I-15 without properly signaling, according to a probable cause statement filed by the Utah Highway Patrol in support of the arrest. The trooper stopped the driver of the vehicle at approximately milepost 22 near Leeds.

The trooper became suspicious of possible criminal activity as he talked with the driver, identified as Oscar Domingo Bautista of Los Angeles, California, the arresting officer wrote in the sworn statement.

A narcotics K-9 was dispatched to the scene and alerted to the presence of drugs in the car, the report states.

“The driver admitted to possessing ‘wax’ after I informed him that we would be searching the car,” the trooper stated.

A probable cause search was conducted resulting in the discovery of 2 pounds of marijuana and 7.5 ounces of marijuana wax in the trunk of the vehicle, according to the statement.

“I located several containers that did have marijuana in them that were now empty in the passenger compartment of the vehicle,” the officer stated.

Bautista was arrested and transported to the Washington County Purgatory Correctional Facility.

The Washington County Attorney’s Office filed an information in 5th District Court accusing Bautista of second-degree felony drug possession with the intent to distribute; third-degree felony drug possession with the intent to distribute; and class B misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia.

Bautista was subsequently released from police custody on $10,000 bail pending trial. He is scheduled to appear before 5th District Judge Eric A. Ludlow Monday for his next court hearing.

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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Twitter: @STGnews

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2017, all rights reserved.

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9 Comments

  • ladybugavenger October 13, 2017 at 12:09 pm

    I’m not in the drug scene. What in the world is marijuana wax? I’ll Google it lol

    • Real Life October 13, 2017 at 1:39 pm

      All wacked on wax.

      • ladybugavenger October 13, 2017 at 3:27 pm

        I’ll stick to being being waxed on Jesus. 🙂

      • .... October 13, 2017 at 10:19 pm

        Oh you are ?

  • ladybugavenger October 13, 2017 at 12:10 pm

    Im not impressed with marijuana bust. If he’s illegal, then that’s a story.

  • ladybugavenger October 13, 2017 at 3:31 pm

    I switched back to my old android. I don’t know how these emojis are coming across.

    Fyi: if you drop an iPhone, protected by an otter case, from your pocket and it land perfectly straight on the camera side on asphalt and makes a solid hit sound, it will get a black screen with colored lines…….youre welcome

  • Uncle Lenny October 13, 2017 at 8:28 pm

    Well, I’m glad to read that it’s possible to be cited for not signaling a lane change. I’d venture he was out of blinker fluid, like many SG drivers. lol ?

  • utahdiablo October 13, 2017 at 9:17 pm

    Yeah good luck with this … showing up for court….that’s why he’s smiling in the booking photo…and you all want legalized MJ here in Utah? Just drive to Mesquite…
    Ed. ellipsis

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