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FARMINGTON — A Woods Cross man pleaded guilty this week to drug distribution and robbing a teenager in January.
Preston Anthony Kilpatrick, 18, entered guilty pleas to counts of aggravated robbery, a first-degree felony, and distribution of a controlled substance, a second-degree felony, according to a plea agreement filed in court Monday. In return for Kilpatrick's guilty plea, prosecutors dismissed seven other felony counts, including a first-degree felony count of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute.
Kilpatrick admitted to conspiring with two minors to lure a 15-year-old to a Layton park with the intent of robbing him, the court document states. Kilpatrick then allegedly picked up the teen and drove him to a park to smoke marijuana. The teen was walking back to the car when Kilpatrick hit him in the back of the head repeatedly, according to court documents, which also state that the two other minors joined in attacking the teen.
One of the minors told the teen to give up "everything you've got," before Kilpatrick pointed a gun at the teen's head, the plea agreement states. The three then allegedly took several items from the teen, including his phone.
The teen's parents later called police, and the teen told the police that the robbery likely happened because he allegedly stole THC products from Kilpatrick. THC is the psychoactive substance contained in marijuana.
Police obtained a warrant for a wiretap that began in January. They later found that Kilpatrick was selling drugs to numerous people, many of them minors, the plea agreement states. Police also found an Instagram account called "pdawgs little drug runners," which contained at least four followers, who were minors, including one as young as 13. Police found that Kilpatrick used the account to coordinate drug distribution.
Messages intercepted by police included one in January that involved Kilpatrick planning to meet a minor in Layton to smoke THC, and another involved Kilpatrick selling a THC cartridge to another person, the plea agreement states.
On Feb. 6, Kilpatrick sent messages to the "pdawgs little drug runners" account, saying he had illicit mushrooms, police said. He agreed to give them to two members of the group, including the 13-year-old, who had messaged about falling through ice in a nearby pond while previously high on mushrooms, the court document states.
Another message intercepted by police said that Kilpatrick was going to provide mushrooms to a second 13-year-old at a location in Layton. Worried about the minor's safety, police then went to the location and arrested Kilpatrick.
Kilpatrick told police he had been selling drugs for "quite a while," the plea deal states. He also admitted to robbing the teen over stolen THC and said that he used a fake Glock handgun during the attack. Police later searched the home of Kilpatrick's mother and found a Glock-style airgun. Kilpatrick told police that he didn't see a problem with his actions, saying "it was not dangerous for juveniles to use drugs like marijuana and mushrooms because it opens their minds," the plea deal states.
In return for his guilty pleas, prosecutors said they will recommend Kilpatrick not be sentenced to prison but should spend one year in jail with credit for time served. Kilpatrick has been held without bail at the Davis County Jail since his Feb. 7 arrest. The judge is not mandated to accept that recommendation, however, and the maximum sentence for Kilpatrick's charges could be a term of five years to life in prison.
Kilpatrick's sentencing hearing is scheduled to take place on July 11.
