By Tracie Sullivan, For Iron County Today
A traffic stop in Cedar City last August recently led to federal charges against a man accused of distributing fentanyl.
Braydon Johnson, 28, was initially charged in state court with two second-degree felonies for possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and arranging distribution, as well as two class A misdemeanors for drug possession and possession of paraphernalia. The charges were dismissed this month for federal prosecution, which often carries harsher penalties.
According to court records August 24, the Iron-Garfield-Beaver Narcotics Task Force pulled Johnson over on August 24 as part of an ongoing investigation into his suspected drug activity.
During the stop, a police K9 signaled the presence of narcotics, prompting officers to search the vehicle. Inside, they found approximately 100 fentanyl pills in containers in Johnson’s pocket and a small amount of methamphetamine.
“100 pills is way more than personal use, and agents knew it was for distribution,” the affidavit stated.
Following the traffic stop, Johnson was taken in for questioning. While being interviewed, he received a phone call. Authorities recognized the name on his phone as a known drug user. When asked about the call, Johnson reportedly told police he had been en route to sell fentanyl to the individual.
He also confessed the deal had been set up for several hundred pills but stated he only had 100 and planned to “rip this person off,” court records state. Johnson allegedly said he had sold fentanyl to this individual on two previous occasions and had distributed drugs to multiple people in Cedar City.
At the time of his arrest, Johnson was out on bail for pending charges in Washington County.
The affidavit cited his ‘lengthy criminal history’ and ties to out-of-state locations as raising the risk of flight and further drug activity.
Following Johnson’s arrest the Iron County Attorney’s Office consulted with federal prosecutors, who agreed to take over the case.
Johnson remains in custody as federal proceedings move forward.