SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Aug. 18, 2022 (Gephardt Daily) — The Salt Lake City Police Department’s Gang Unit has arrested a 24-year-old man accused of illegally possessing a gun, drugs and a stolen truck.
The investigation started at 2:23 a.m. Thursday when a SLCPD gang detective spotted a man driving a stolen truck into a motel parking lot near 800 W. North Temple, a police statement says.
The man parked the pickup and detectives walked up to the driver, later identified as Martin Olmedo, ordering him to surrender, Olmedo’s probable cause statement says.
“Martin began to flee from police on foot and was throwing items from his pockets and satchel as he ran away,” the statement says. “Those items included several drug baggies which contained heroin and methamphetamine (both tested positive on scene).
“Another item that Martin threw from his person was a .380 Ruger pistol. Martin is currently on felony probation which classifies him as a Cat-1 restricted person regarding the possession of firearms. Eventually, Martin was apprehended approximately one block away.”
Olmedo was taken into custody and searched prior to arrest, the statement says.
“During the search, the keys for the stolen Chevy were found in his pants pocket. Post-Miranda, Martin admitted that he obtained the vehicle from a stranger in exchange for drugs. He also admitted to possessing the firearm. Martin admitted that he had possessed the meth, heroin, pills, and suspected fentanyl prior to the arrest,” according to the police statement.
The quantities of drugs found far exceed amounts typically found for personal use, the affidavit says.
“Due to the quantity of drugs (and) digital scales found in the vehicle, and the firearm possession, it is evident that Martin has been distributing those drugs.”
Olmedo was booked into the Salt Lake County jail system for investigation of:
- Theft by receiving stolen property, a second-degree felony.
- Two counts of distributing, offering or arranging distribution of a controlled substance, a second-degree felony.
- Transaction of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person, a second-degree felony.
- Failure to stop at the command of law enforcement, a class A misdemeanor.
Olmedo is being held in the Salt Lake County Jail without bail.
