OGDEN, Utah — A 39-year-old Weber County man has been charged in Second District Court for allegedly being in possession of roughly 4,100 fentanyl pills and 378 dosages of heroin.

According to a probable cause statement, David Christopher Ellis was arrested at the Salt Lake City International Airport on Thursday, Sept. 29 as he returned home from Arizona. He was taken into custody for an outstanding statewide warrant. The warrant includes felony fraud charges out of Ogden and felony domestic violence charges out of Riverdale.

Authorities were notified of Ellis’ travel and were able to confirm with Salt Lake City International Airport that he was on the flight.

As he was taken into custody, the probable cause statement says he had a black suitcase and a tannish-colored backpack. 

As Ellis was being searched, authorities found a “white crystal-like substance” in his front right pocket. It was later determined to be methamphetamine.

In an interview with members of the Weber/Morgan Narcotics Strike Force, Ellis allegedly said there was “a large quantity of fentanyl in his check-on bag,” the probable cause statement read. Ellis said he was coming to Weber County to allegedly distribute the pills, according to the probable cause statement.

From there, authorities sought a search warrant to search the suitcase and backpack. The probable cause statement says authorities searched the backpack and found “several clear plastic baggies containing different quantities of small blue pills.”

Fentanyl pills

According to the probable cause statement, the weight of the fentanyl pills was 419.4 grams, which is roughly 4,100 pills.

In their search, authorities also found “a plastic baggie containing a black tar-like substance,” the probable cause statement reads. It tested positive for heroin and weighed 37.8 grams. Authorities say he was in possession of 378 dosages of heroin, according to the probable cause statement.

The probable cause statement also says authorities have been investigating Ellis for the past several months.

Ellis has been booked into the Weber County Jail on investigation for two counts of possession with intent to distribute. Both counts are second-degree felonies. He has also been booked on investigation of possession of a controlled substance.

Authorities are asking that Ellis be held without bail.

Read more:

• Trooper’s stop nets $3.6M in fentanyl, 1 arrest near Ely
• Disturbance call leads to a quarter million dollar fentanyl bust

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