SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Jan. 23, 2026 (Gephardt Daily) — The Utah Department of Corrections (UDC) says a recent investment in surveillance technology, law enforcement resources, and drug-sniffing K-9s led to the arrest of a Magna woman accused of allegedly attempting to mail drug-infused paper into state correctional facilities.
According to UDC, Julie Rae Sawyer, 48, is currently being held in the Salt Lake County Jail. She faces two first-degree felony counts of distribution of a controlled substance and one second-degree felony count of possession with intent to distribute.
UDC officials say Sawyer was suspected of planning to send hundreds of sheets of “drug-infused paper” through the mail to inmates housed at the Utah State Correctional Facility in Salt Lake City and the Central Utah Correctional Facility in Gunnison.
“UDC’s investment in law enforcement tools has paid off,” said Jared Garcia, Executive Director of the Utah Department of Corrections. “This arrest proves the value of our new surveillance technology in monitoring calls, detecting illegal substances, and holding those responsible accountable. Smuggling contraband is unacceptable, and this is evidence we are serious about stopping it.”
Garcia added, “If you are caught bringing, sending, introducing, or conspiring to introduce contraband into our facilities, you are actively compromising safety and interrupting opportunities for people to rehabilitate. We will save a cell and bed for you.”
UDC alleges evidence obtained through surveillance led investigators to Sawyer. A search warrant was obtained for her home in Magna, where narcotics-specialized K-9s confirmed the presence of drug-infused paper, the UDC news release says.
Additional contraband paper was also detected by mailroom staff at UDC facilities.
The nature of the drugs allegedly infused in paper was not identified.
