HURRICANE — Wednesday, the Washington County Drug Task Force arrested four people for charges related to meth, heroin, and marijuana possession from two different homes in the Hurricane-LaVerkin area. After the busts, St. George Police Captain Kyle Whitehead discussed the quantity of a variety of illicit drugs that they are seeing across the county.
The first bust occurred at 775 W. 50 N. in Hurricane. One of the occupants, Roniann C. Bennet, was previously involved in a few sting operations where the drug task force caught her selling drugs. In the past, she had sold drugs to an informant, Whitehead said.
The task force commonly uses these sting operations to find drug sellers, Whitehead said. Then when police catch up to them, they arrest them for the charges.
Bennet was staying in this Hurricane home. A search warrant was obtained for the home for drugs and both Glen Dean Smith and Bennet were found to be in the home.
Both were arrested for drug possession. Meth, marijuana, heroin and paraphernalia were all found in the home. Marijuana, heroin, meth and paraphernalia were tied to Smith, and meth and paraphernalia were tied to Bennet. The home was in a drug free zone and so the original charges were enhanced. Both were arrested and taken to Washington County’s Purgatory Correctional Facility.
We’re still finding a lot of heroin and meth across Washington County, Whitehead said. Marijuana is the highest quantity drug found in the county, he said, but there is also a lot of heroin and meth – referred to by Whitehead as “hard narcotics.” On average, the task force sees more meth then heroin, but heroin is continuing to become more poplar, Whitehead said.
The task force commonly has various drug users and sellers on their radar. Often times the task force is watching out for them because they receive information from tipsters, Whitehead said. One of these people was Stacie Loraine Warren, an occupant of the second home busted on Wednesday.
The second home was located at 230 W. 380 N. in LaVerkin. The drug task force had obtained a search warrant for drugs at this address. When searching through the home Wednesday night they found heroin, meth and marijuana in a bedroom that Warren said was hers. Another occupant, Kimberly Dawn Gragg was identified with several items including meth, paraphernalia and marijuana. Both were arrested and booked into Purgatory Correctional Facility.
The two homes were searched on different warrants and were unrelated incidents.
Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.
If you have tips regarding illegal drugs call the Washington County Drug Task Force tip line at 435-627-4950.
Ed. note: To clarify, Bennett was not an informant, she was arrested in this action. Second paragraph revised to add that Bennett had previously been caught selling drugs.
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Can’t believe they released the persons name who was “the rat”
They didn’t, Darren. All of those named in this report were arrested.
JK
EIC
You do realize that you may have signed this individual’s death warrant with the way this article was written, do you not? Once something like that is out there, you can print all the retractions you want to, but it won’t make any difference. Warren has now been fingered, and her life is literally in danger, thanks to sloppy reporting/editing.
What you print DOES make a difference.
Well I just can’t believe u Joyce and how r u not thinking that she is a “rat”. I wouldn’t b surprised at all if she is the first one out. Everyone it’s time too quit doing drugs all together or be a lot more careful. Look out for bennits boy friend or what ever he is he seems too b around everyone that gets caught before or after they get caught. His name is … he’s tall kinda muscular big bugged out eyes an islander so plz b aware of ur surroundings
Ed. ellipsis.
I hope that people here really get the difference between marijuana, and meth/heroin. There is a HUGE difference in what the latter two do to someone.
Crackheads need their crack… watcha gonna do?
Thanks Bub….. So glad you post on every article. We are enlightened.
yep, the bug eyed guy is named da-shawn and he is a rat. he drives a silver toyota lifted. watch out 4 him. he’s no good
theres lots of rats in southern utah!!! its pretty sad that its easier down there to find Meth and Heroin than it is to find weed!!!
Is it really that bad there? I have driven through there and seems like a nice town.