Utah Felon Busted with Massive Meth, Fentanyl Haul

A massive drug bust in Salt Lake City, Utah, has led to the indictment of a 65-year-old convicted felon, Anthony Owen Pawley, for his alleged involvement in a large-scale narcotics operation.

Pawley, of Murray, Utah, was stopped by detectives from the Salt Lake City Police Department’s Violent Criminal Apprehension Team on May 9, 2024, for a traffic violation. During the stop, a canine officer alerted to narcotics, and a search of the vehicle revealed five pounds of suspected methamphetamine and several hundred fentanyl pills.

Further investigation led to the discovery of approximately 40 pounds of field-tested and confirmed methamphetamine and 15,000 fentanyl pills at Pawley’s residence and a storage unit in Murray associated with him. Two firearms were also seized during the search.

Pawley is charged with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of fentanyl with the intent to distribute, and felon in possession of a firearm. His initial court appearance is scheduled for May 24, 2024, at 10:30 a.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.

The case is being investigated by the Salt Lake City Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Assistant United States Attorney Cameron P. Warner of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.

U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins said, “This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence in our communities.” The Salt Lake City Police Department’s Violent Criminal Apprehension Team (VCAT) is a specialized unit tasked with combating violent crime and identifying and apprehending violent criminals and fugitives.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The investigation is ongoing, and further charges may be filed.

The Salt Lake City Police Department’s VCAT unit has been instrumental in addressing emerging violent crime trends and the activities of repeat violent offenders in Salt Lake City. The unit collaborates closely with detectives, the Salt Lake Information Center (SLIC), and the SLCPD’s Crime Intelligence and Analysis Unit (CIAU) to identify and apprehend violent offenders.

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