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WANSHIP, Summit County — Two separate traffic stops in Utah on Tuesday resulted in 329 pounds of marijuana being seized.
The first stop happened just after noon on I-70 near Salina. A car was pulled over for minor traffic violations, according to a police booking affidavit. Anthony Jamie, 71, who had a Nevada driver's license, claimed he did not have any marijuana in his vehicle, despite a deputy smelling it, the affidavit states.
"Located in the truck was 211 pounds of marijuana," according to the affidavit,
Jamie was booked into the Sevier County Jail for investigation of possessing 100 pounds of marijuana or more, and two infractions for equipment violations.
Then, about 9:45 p.m. on I-80 near Wanship, a Utah Highway Patrol trooper spotted a pickup truck having trouble staying in its lane, according to a second police booking affidavit.
"I observed this driving behavior continue for approximately two miles. I then performed a traffic stop on the pickup which had a New York registration," the trooper wrote in the affidavit.
The driver, Michael Sills, who "had built himself a makeshift bed" in the back of the truck, said he was getting tired and planned on pulling over at the next rest area to sleep.
"The driver informed me that he was traveling back to New York from California and that his reason for the trip was to deliver groceries to a family member in California. Based on my training … and my experience of growing up in New York state, these travel plans made me suspicious that the driver was involved in criminal activity," according to the affidavit.
A deputy with a police K-9 from the Summit County Sheriff's Office was called to the scene to assist, and the dog indicated the presence of drugs in the vehicle, the affidavit states.
"I opened the tailgate of the pickup and observed numerous large duffle bags and boxes. The first duffle bag I grabbed felt like it had numerous vacuum-sealed bags of raw marijuana inside," according to the affidavit. "The pickup contained approximately 2,500 THC vape cartridges and approximately 118 pounds of raw marijuana."
Sills was booked into the Summit County Jail for investigation of possessing 100 pounds of marijuana or more, possession of drug paraphernalia, drug possession with intent to distribute and two infractions for not staying in his lane and failing to properly signal.
