Man found with 81 pounds of meth during traffic stop in St. George receives sentencing

ST. GEORGE — A Colorado man was sentenced to serve time in federal prison after a traffic stop led to the seizure of more than 80 pounds of methamphetamine – one of the largest seizures in Utah – in a case described as “tragic” involving a military veteran with a combat injury that reportedly led to addiction.

Stock image | St. George News

On Wednesday, 40-year-old Tyler Roland Bowers, appeared in U.S. District Court via video for sentencing on one felony count of possession of meth with intent to distribute – a federal charge he pleaded guilty to in October.

The case stems from a traffic stop that took place Feb. 27, when a Washington County Sheriff’s deputy observed a vehicle heading north on Interstate 15 near mile marker 7 in St. George with expired registration. During the stop, the driver told the deputy they were driving a rental car and were returning from a trip to California to their home in Denver, Colorado, according to charging documents filed with the court shortly after the arrest.

It was when Bowers was unable to find his driver’s license that he held up “a large cocktail-style drink” and informed the deputy the car was rented in the passenger’s name, 38-year-old Felicia Bowers, also of Denver, Colorado, who was too intoxicated to drive after drinking in Las Vegas, which he said is why he was behind the wheel when they were stopped, the report states.

During a search of the trunk, deputies found 81 pounds of suspected meth, in addition to 24 grams of heroin. The street value of the drugs was estimated to be as high as $2.9 million, Washington County Sheriff Lt. Dave Crouse told St. George News shortly after the arrest.

He was initially charged in 5th District Court, but once he was indicted in federal court, the state case was dismissed.

The primary issue discussed during the hearing was whether a downward departure on the offense level would be appropriate in the case, which would mean a reduction in the amount of time the defendant would spend in prison. Both the government and the defense agreed that a six-level reduction on the offense level – from 31 down to 25 – was appropriate.

It would be up to District Judge David Nuffer to make the final decision as to whether or not the reduction would be approved.

During Wednesday’s hearing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Dent described the incident that took place in February as “tragic” in that Bowers is a combat veteran who served in Afghanistan and made many sacrifices for the country.  It was while serving in the Middle East that the defendant was severely injured. When he returned stateside, the prosecutor said, his struggle with addiction began, a battle that would continue up until his arrest.

Even so, Dent said drug dealing is a serious offense and causes harm to society. So much so, he said, that it releases a tsunami of misery and crime in communities across the country.

The prosecutor also said the traffic stop was not the only trip the couple had made carrying narcotics through Utah. The investigation revealed, in fact, that Bowers and his wife had made a number of trips through Utah as they trafficked narcotics from Los Angeles to Denver, he said.

Another factor that weighed heavily in sentencing was the sheer volume of narcotics seized during the traffic stop – 81 pounds – which, the prosecutor said, was one of the largest seizures of meth ever to take place in Utah.

Bowers defense attorney, Kenneth Combs, said his client never made any excuses for what happened but instead took responsibility for his actions, and has since the beginning.

He also said his client started out in life on a good path, but then he got derailed, adding that he thought Bowers was capable of making the changes necessary to return to a positive path and be a productive member of society.

Bowers also spoke during the hearing by saying he made no excuses for his actions and admitted he became sidetracked through his drug use, which caused him to lose touch with what was truly important to him – his family and the support system he has.

The defendant closed by saying he was committed to making the changes necessary to get back to what really matters.

Combs requested that his client serve his time at the Federal Correctional Institution located in Sheridan, Oregon, which offers a residential drug abuse treatment program and would also facilitate family visitation.

Federal Correctional Institution in Sheridan, Ore., June 2018 | Photo courtesy of Google Maps, St. George News

Nuffer commented prior to handing down his sentence by recommending that Bowers find the solutions that will help him change his life around, including an effective treatment plan for not only addiction but also for the defendant’s post-traumatic stress disorder from which he continues to suffer.

The judge recommended that Bowers treat the trauma he has experienced, which has been more than most people experience, he said. 

Nuffer then sentenced the defendant to be placed in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons for 70 months and recommended the federal facility in Oregon and participation in the drug abuse treatment program.

Once released, Bowers would be placed on five years post-prison supervision and if he does well during that time, Nuffer said, then he can request it be terminated early. He said he extended the supervision period to make sure he gets the help he needs as a veteran who served his country. 

The defendant has remained in custody in Washington County since his arrest Feb. 27, 2021, and he will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal’s Service until he is transported to the federal prison facility as designated.

The defendant’s wife, Felicia Buckley Bowers, was also indicted on one count of possession of meth with intent to distribute following the incident and is scheduled to appear before District Judge David Nuffer for sentencing on March 16.

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2022, all rights reserved.

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