Authorities search for Orem man in Fentanyl distribution case

OREM, Utah — Utah County authorities are searching for a 49-year-old man in connection to a Fentanyl distribution case.

On Monday, detectives from the Utah County Sheriff’s Office along with the Spanish Fork Police Department served a search warrant at 1416 South Geneva Road, in Orem.

Authorities say they’ve conducted nearly a year-long investigation into the person who lives there.  

During that investigation, authorities say they’ve developed four separate cases of drug distribution against the person in question. But they say that every time the suspect is arrested, he bails out of jail and returns to dealing drugs.

In the past, the man has been charged with dealing methamphetamine. But officials say they’ve learned the man is now involved in Fentanyl.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse describes Fentanyl as a powerful synthetic opioid that is 50 to 100 times more powerful than morphine. 

In previous encounters with law enforcement, the suspect has fled on foot. There are also two other instances where the man escaped in a vehicle. 

SWAT personnel assisted detectives in the search warrant on Monday. 

During Monday’s search, authorities found 56 counterfeit Fentanyl pills; 17 grams of methamphetamine, and 1 gram of heroin. Authorities also discovered several items of drug paraphernalia.

The NIDA reports that counterfeit Fentanyl pills look like the real thing and that sometimes the drug is mixed with other drugs like heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and MDMA. 

 

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