Information is gleaned from court records, police reports and interviews with the Sanpete County Attorney’s Office. All individuals are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Crystal Hamilton, 33, pleaded guilty to unlawful acquisition/possession/transfer of a financial card, a third-degree felony; and possession of another’s identity documents, a Class A misdemeanor.
On April 26, 2021, Sanpete County deputies were called to investigate a suspicious vehicle parked in a field southeast of Pigeon Hollow Junction. The two occupants were identified as Jeremy Roper, the driver, and Crystal Hamilton, a passenger.
When the deputies ran their IDs, they found that Jeremy had two statewide warrants and Hamilton had one. While inventorying the vehicle, multiple smoking pipes were located, one with burnt residue. An open container was located under the driver seat, along with a small Ziplock bag containing marijuana.
Charges of forgery, a third-degree felony; possession of a controlled substance, a Class A misdemeanor; and possession of a controlled substance, marijuana/spice, use or possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of an altered or forged prescription, all Class B misdemeanors, were dismissed with prejudice.
Hamilton had her probation from a prior offense revoked and was ordered to serve one year in jail.
Oscar Manuel Garcia, 25, pleaded guilty to one count of obstruction of justice, a third degree felony. Garcia was arrested on a no-bail warrant issued because he violated parole on a previous aggravated assault conviction.
Mr. Garcia was arrested at the Chester trailer park after Sanpete County deputies received information he had returned there to visit family. After two females admitted Garcia was at one of the trailer homes, deputies searched the home and found him hiding in a clothes dryer.
Garcia’s probation was revoked, and the court sentenced him to an indeterminate 1- to 15-year sentence. He was also sentenced to an indeterminate term not to exceed five years on the assault charge. All sentences are to run concurrently, and he was granted credit for time previously served, including one year in jail.
Shelia Vasquez, 55, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute/offer/arrange distribution of a controlled substance, a Class A misdemeanor.
According to the information filed in the case, Vasquez arranged the distribution inside the county jail.
A second-degree felony charge, also for drug distribution, was dismissed and a 365-day jail sentence suspended. All but $750 of a $4,783 fine was also suspended. Vasquez was placed on 24 months supervised probation with Adult Probation and Parole.
Kaden Eugene Parish, 24, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful sexual activity with a minor, a third-degree felony. The plea was held in abeyance pending completion of court imposed conditions.
Ryan Christopher Chappell, 47, pleaded guilty to one count of failure to stop or respond at command of police, a third-degree felony; one count of forgery, a third-degree felony; and one count of interference with an arresting officer, a Class B misdemeanor.
Chappell was arrested after passing a fraudulent prescription to the pharmacist at Fresh Market in Ephraim. The pharmacist notified police.
After Chappell returned to the pharmacy to pick up the prescription, police spotted him exiting the parking lot. When they tried to pull him over, he fled up 400 South to 500 East, where he turned south and crashed through a gate into a field until the car struck a fence and a small ditch, which stopped the vehicle.
A search located marijuana; numerous prescription bottles with labels removed, which contained various pills; two prescriptions in different individuals’ names; multiple syringes, and a glass pipe containing methamphetamine residue.
Upon entry of Chappell’s plea, charges of possession within a correctional facility, a third-degree felony; driving with a measurable controlled substance, reckless driving and use or possession of drug paraphernalia, all Class B misdemeanors, were dismissed.
Chappell was sentenced to two indeterminate prison terms, not to exceed five years. The terms are to run concurrently. He was also sentenced to two 180-day terms in jail for the misdemeanor charges.
Shaylee Alvey, 27, pleaded no contest to one count of possession of a controlled substance, a Class A misdemeanor, and one count of possession of a controlled substance marijuana/spice, a Class B misdemeanor.
A second Class A misdemeanor possession charge and two Class B marijuana and drug paraphernalia charges were dismissed.
Alvey was sentenced to 364 days in jail with 357 days suspended on the first charge and six-months suspended for the second. She was fined $750 and placed on 24 months supervised probation with Adult Probation and Parole.
Joseph Conrad Cote, 47, pleaded guilty to a single count of distribution of a controlled substance in a drug-free zone, a second-degree felony.
According to the prosecutors, Cote, who was not in prison, tried to arrange delivery of drugs to the Central Utah Correctional Facility at Gunnison.
He was sentenced to 60 days in the Sanpete County Jail and fined $1,193. He was placed on 36 months supervised probation with Adult Probation and Parole. Following his jail time, he was placed on home confinement for an additional 60 days.
Cole Shaheen Rasmussen, 37, pleaded guilty to one count of issuance of a bad check and failure to make good on payment, a Class A misdemeanor.
According to the sentencing statement, the bad check was issued to Lynn Larsen of Mt. Pleasant. Rasmussen was sentenced to 364 days in jail with 357 days suspended, but there were conditions.
He was sentenced to 12 months of probation, during which he will receive “intensive” supervision from Deputy Jeff Greenwell, the county probation officer. He was ordered to pay $5,000 restitution to Larsen by the end of the day, and if he did not do so, he would serve 30 days in jail. He was ordered to pay the full balance of restitution by May 9, and if he fails to do so, he will have to serve one year in jail.
He was also ordered to successfully complete a thinking-errors course and follow through with all recommended treatments.
Lorin David Watson, 23, pleaded guilty to one count of stalking, a Class A misdemeanor. He was sentenced to 364 days in jail, with 362 days suspended. He was fined $750 and placed on 18 months of probation, during which he is to have no contact with the victim. He was also ordered to enter into and successfully complete a thinking-errors course.
Jeremiah John B Seely, 31, pleaded guilty to one count of theft, a third degree felony. According to the probable cause statement, Seely and Joshua Seely took a roller and sawhorse from Barkley Mechanical on Feb. 12, 2021.
When questioned by police, Seely said he thought the items had been discarded by the business and he and Joshua had returned the items the previous night when they learned that the owner had reported them stolen. Seely was nonetheless arrested and charged with theft.
Seely was on probation when the theft occurred. His probation was revoked and he was sentenced to serve 364 days in jail with credit for time previously served.
Marcos Torres Leal, 32, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a controlled substance, a Class A misdemeanor. He was sentenced to 364 days in jail, 357 of which were suspended. He was granted credit for time served. He was fined $750 and placed on 24 months of probation under the supervision of Deputy Jeff Greenwell.
