SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Dec. 17, 2022 (Gephardt Daily) — A 37-year-old man with a “suspicious driving pattern” and expired out-of-state license plates was arrested Friday after police allegedly found a distributable amount of methamphetamine hidden in his vehicle.
Salt Lake City police issued a news release Saturday announcing the drug-related arrest while touting the year-to-year decrease in violent and property crimes in the department’s “focus patrol areas.”
Thomas Calvin Curley was parked at 7-Eleven, at 960 W. North Temple, about 12:30 p.m. when police “conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle based on the suspicious driving pattern and not getting a return on the [vehicle’s] license plate,” according to a probable cause statement filed in 3rd District Court.
“From outside the vehicle, the officer could smell marijuana coming from inside the car,” according to the news release.
Police later found “distributable amounts of marijuana, methamphetamine, oxycodone pills and other drug packaging materials and paraphernalia hidden inside the car,” the release states.
Police also found “a large wad of cash” on Curley at the time of his arrest, court documents state.
Curley refused to identify himself or provide his driver’s license, vehicle registration or proof of insurance, the police affidavit says. He was arrested for investigation of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, a third-degree felony, along with several potential drug and traffic-related charges.
Curley’s arrest occurred in what the police call a “high-crime hotspot” in the Pioneer Patrol Division focus area: 200 North to South Temple, and 700 West to 1000 West.
Property crimes in the Pioneer Patrol Division focus area decreased by 41% in November 2022 when compared with November 2021, according to the news release. A percentage of change in violent crimes for the area was not provided.
In the Central Patrol Division focus area of 200 South to 400 South, and 200 West to State Street, police say violent crimes decreased by 20% and property crimes were down 46% in November 2022 when compared with November 2021.
In the Liberty Patrol Division focus area of 1300 South to 1500 South, and 200 West to South State Street, violent crimes dropped by 75% and property crimes decreased by 56% when comparing November 2022 with November 2021, according to police.
