SALT LAKE CITY – Christopher Eugene Hooper, alias Messy, was sentenced to 130 months in federal prison following his guilty plea for possession of a firearm and methamphetamine with intent to distribute. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Kimball on Thursday.
In February, the 30-year-old Kearns resident confessed to carrying a Sig .380 handgun with a loaded magazine and approximately 38 grams of methamphetamine. Hooper’s plea agreement also included his intent to distribute the drugs to another person.
Hooper was apprehended during a traffic stop on February 21, 2018, by members of the Operation Rio Grande Drug Task Force near North Temple and Redwood Road. He faced a three-count federal indictment, which included charges of possession of a firearm and ammunition after a felony conviction, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, and carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking offense.
“Convicted felon drug traffickers carrying loaded firearms is a recipe for disaster,” said U.S. Attorney John W. Huber. “Getting these criminals out of our neighborhoods and into federal prison makes our neighborhoods safer for all of us.”
Captain Jared Garcia of the Utah Department of Public Safety’s State Bureau of Investigation emphasized the importance of their efforts to reduce violent crime, stating that members of the Utah Crime Gun Intelligence Center are actively working multiple cases. This team approach is crucial in identifying and stopping violent offenders, thereby preventing victimization.
In a related case from Operation Rio Grande, Tohi Ryan Ngata, also known as Cuzloc, faces his own sentencing on July 31, 2019, for possession of a firearm and heroin with intent to distribute. Ngata’s plea agreement includes a stipulated sentence of 60 months in federal prison.
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Key Facts
- State: Utah
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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