WALLSBURG, Utah, Sept. 26, 2023 (Gephardt Daily) — Wasatch County Sheriff‘s deputies were dispatched to a residence near Wallsburg last week on a report of a stolen vehicle that was equipped with GPS.
When they arrived last Wednesday with a search warrant, deputies found multiple vehicles, motorcycles, trailers, all-terrain vehicles, power tools and other items believed to be stolen, says a WCSO statement released Tuesday.
The WCSO news release called the operation a “chop shop,” a term commonly used to describe a place where stolen vehicles are dismantled so that the parts can be sold or used to repair other stolen vehicles.
Deputies also found illegal drugs and drug paraphernalia, and tools commonly used for burglaries and thefts.
The officers made three arrests.
Tyler Boyd James Hewitt, 32 and from Wallsburg, was booked for investigation of:
- Three counts of altering vehicle numbers, a second-degree felony
- Eight counts of unauthorized possession of a firearm or working motor vehicle, a third-degree felony
- Unauthorized possession of items valued at greater than $5,000, a third-degree felony
- Possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person, a third-degree felony
- Possession or use of controlled substance, as a class A misdemeanor
- Possession or use of controlled substance, as a class B misdemeanor
- Possession or use of drug paraphernalia, a class B misdemeanor
Trista Roxanne Sumsion, 27 and from Magna, was booked for investigation of:
- Three counts of altering vehicle numbers, a second-degree felony
- Eight counts of unauthorized possession of a firearm or working motor vehicle, a third-degree felony
- Unauthorized possession of items valued at greater than $5,000, a third-degree felony
- False personal info with intent to be an actual person, a class A misdemeanor
- Obstruction of justice, a class A misdemeanor
- Possession of controlled substances schedule I/II/analog, a class A misdemeanor
- Use or possession of drug paraphernalia, a class B misdemeanor
Trenton Bailey Gates, 27 and from Centerville, was booked for investigation of:
- Three counts of altering vehicle numbers, a second-degree felony
- Eight counts of unauthorized possession of a firearm or working motor vehicle, a third-degree felony
- Unauthorized possession of items valued at greater than $5,000, a third-degree felony
- Unlawful possession of ID of another, documents of 1 to 2 people, a third-degree felony
- False personal info with intent to be an actual person, a class A misdemeanor
- Obstruction of justice, a class A misdemeanor
- Possession of controlled substances schedule I/II/analog, a class B misdemeanor
- Use of possession of drug paraphernalia, a class B misdemeanor
Gates and Sumsion were ordered to be held without bail. Hewitt was ordered held on $50,000 bail.
“It should be noted that the current charges listed in this PC statement is just a summary of what detectives currently have, however detectives still have not released the property and are still serving the search warrant due to the amount of property that is possibly stolen,” say statements on the three arrestees’ probable cause documents.
“The property is approximately 100 acres and with the amount of car parts, tools, construction equipment, and other items located on the property detectives have only been able to at this point go through approximately half of the stuff. As well as waiting for officers from the department of motor vehicles to be able to sort through all car parts they are trying to identify.”
Gephardt Daily will have additional information when it is available.
