Police call on community for help after $100,000 meth bust; STGnews Videocast

WASHINGTON CITY — The Washington City Police Department is calling on the citizens of Southern Utah to help them find the owners of various property found in a storage unit during a drug bust Sunday.

David Magnum booking photo posted March 29, 2-15 | Photo courtesy of the Washington County Sheriff's Office, St. George News
David Magnum booking photo posted March 29, 2015 | Photo courtesy of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, St. George News

While on patrol Sunday, Washington City Police Officer Matt Page discovered 50-year-old David Mangum asleep inside a vehicle outside his storage unit, Washington City Police Chief Jim Keith said in a press conference Tuesday. Upon speaking with the man, Mangum told the officer he had just fallen asleep.

Because Mangum had a criminal record involving drugs, Keith said, a police K-9 named Hunter and his handler, Officer Josh Finona, were called to the scene, where the dog indicated the presence of drugs in both the vehicle and the storage unit.

After obtaining a search warrant, police entered the storage unit and pried open a metal safe, discovering approximately 2.5 pounds of methamphetamine as well as multiple drug pipes.

“That’s a pretty good quantity to find in one location that has not been distributed or put out into smaller amounts yet,” Keith said, “so it’s very significant to get it at that level, off the street.” 

Washington City Police K-9 hunter lays in the grass outside the Police Department during a press conference, March 31, 2015 | Photo by Devan Chavez, St. George News
Washington City Police K-9 Hunter lays in the grass outside the Police Department during a press conference, Washington City, Utah, March 31, 2015 | Photo by Devan Chavez, St. George News

According to a press release from the police department, the estimated street value of such a large amount of methamphetamine is over $100,000.  

Also inside, Keith said, police located many different items they believe do not belong to Mangum.

The items include a wide variety of collectible coins, including rare coins and confederate currency; both new and used tools, some still in the box; stocks and bonds of various companies; and pieces of jewelry.

If anyone has any knowledge of who the items may belong to, Keith said, they are urged to contact the Washington City Police Department.

“We’re really hoping that we can get some folks calling in that may know or have some information as to where this may have came from,” Keith said. “It may, in fact, not even be from our state.”

The police seized approximately 2.5-pounds of methamphetamine from the storage unit, Washington City Police Department, March 31, 2015 | Photo by Devan Chavez, St. George News
The police seized approximately 2.5 pounds of methamphetamine from a storage unit, Washington City Police Department, Washington City, Utah, March 31, 2015 | Photo by Devan Chavez, St. George News

Keith also expressed his thanks to both Hunter and the K-9 officer for their involvement in obtaining such a large amount of drugs. Hunter, Keith said, has made a significant impact on the drug trade in the community and has been a valuable member of the team since day one.

“This is just one indication of the value of a K-9,” Keith said. “A human being cannot do the same thing that a K-9 can do.”

The investigation is still very much ongoing, Keith said. The police department can be reached at 435-986-1515.

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

Resources

  • Washington City Police Department | Phone: 435-986-1515

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

 

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6 Comments

  • fun bag March 31, 2015 at 10:10 pm

    i predict a yard sale in the near future. use the proceeds for 10 more meth sniffing dogs.

  • sagemoon April 1, 2015 at 8:23 am

    So he’s not just a dang tweeker, he’s a dang thieving, dealing tweeker. That’s the kind of tweeker who needs to serve some jail time.

  • Freelance April 1, 2015 at 12:16 pm

    Yep dang time serving tweeker

  • Freelance April 1, 2015 at 12:39 pm

    If you find 450,000,000 dollars wrapped up in aluminum foil marked. bribe money in an old refrigerator its my money it was stolen from my hidden off shore account and I want it back..

  • Freelance April 2, 2015 at 2:53 am

    If you find a crying towel in there it belongs to crybaby ROBB

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