SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Dec. 23, 2023 (Gephardt Daily) — Salt Lake City police responded to a westside apartment Friday morning after a caller alerted them to a tenant who reportedly said he had shot someone within the previous few hours.
Joshua Friedman, 20, was taken into custody at 5:48 a.m. Friday after an initial SLCPD response at 3:21 a.m.
“The complainant knew that Joshua owned a firearm that he kept in his apartment,” near 600 W. North Temple, Friedman’s affidavit says. “Officers responded and were able to call Joshua, who complied with our request to come out of the apartment.”
No injured parties were found in the apartment, but officers served a warrant and located illegal drugs and a cache of weapons.
“Officers seized a firearm, several axes, swords, knives, drug paraphernalia, and ammunition inside Friedman’s apartment,” a statement issued by the SLCPD public relations department says.
“Officers also observed a large amount of a white crystalline substance, a scale, blue pills, several needles, and several baggies,” Friedman’s affidavit says. “Based on my training and experience, I believed the white crystalline substance to be methamphetamine, the blue pills to be fentanyl pills, the scale to be paraphernalia used for measuring drugs, the needles to be used to inject drugs, and the baggies to be used to transport and distribute drugs.”
Post Miranda, “Joshua stated he used methamphetamine 24 hours ago,” his arrest document says. “Joshua stated he took one ‘puff’ from a glass pipe. Joshua stated he used meth in his apartment, where he had more illegal drugs and his firearm. Joshua stated he has at least seven different types of drugs in his apartment, to include methamphetamine, LSD, GHB ‘date rape drug,’ Xanax, marijuana, Dexedrine, and Adderall.
“Joshua stated he also has his firearm in his apartment, with two magazines loaded with ammunition. Joshua stated he wanted to get rid of his drugs by giving them to other drug users. Joshua did mention he had no plans of getting any sort of financial gain from distributing his drugs. Joshua stated he would not feel safe driving after the one ‘puff,’ however he felt safe being in possession of his firearm while being under the influence of drugs.”
Friedman was booked into the Salt Lake County jail system for investigation of:
- Possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, a second-degree felony
- Category II restricted person transaction of firearm, a third-degree felony
- Unlawful possession/purchase/transaction dangerous weapon, a class A misdemeanor
- Possession of controlled substances I/II/analog, a class A misdemeanor
- Altered number on pistol/revolver, a class A misdemeanor
- Use or possession of drug paraphernalia, a class B misdemeanor
- Possession of controlled substance marijuana/spice, a class B misdemeanor
Charges will be determined by the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office.
Friedman was ordered to be held without bail.
