By Tracie Sullivan, For Iron County Today
A Cedar City man was sentenced to prison Feb. 18 after reaching plea agreements that resolved two separate drug cases in 5th District Court.
Daniel R. Hatch, 41, received an indeterminate term of one to 15 years in the Utah State Prison after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, a second-degree felony.
Both cases were resolved in the same hearing, and the judge ordered the sentences to run concurrently, meaning they will be served at the same time.
As part of the plea agreement in the distribution case, a second count of possession with intent to distribute was dismissed with prejudice.
The initial case stems from a Nov. 6, 2025, traffic stop near state Route 91 and Westview Drive. According to charging documents filed in 5th District Court in support of the arrest, an officer stopped the vehicle for a defective taillight and a K-9 later alerted to the presence of drugs.
Officers reported finding approximately a half ounce each of heroin and methamphetamine, quantities investigators said were consistent with distribution rather than personal use. Hatch admitted the drugs were his, according to the affidavit.
In the second case, Hatch pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of class A misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance and was sentenced to 364 days. The court ordered that sentence to be served concurrently with the prison term.
That case originated after Hatch had been working as an informant for the Iron-Garfield-Beaver Drug Task Force.
Court records show he was required to remain drug-free while assisting the task force but tested positive for methamphetamine during a urinalysis in December 2025. Investigators reported he had not conducted controlled buys and was subsequently arrested on a new possession charge.
Both cases were resolved in the same court proceeding. Hatch was remanded to the custody of the Iron County Sheriff for transport to the Utah State Prison.
Correction: An earlier version of this headline incorrectly stated that fentanyl was found. Authorities have confirmed no fentanyl was recovered in this case only methamphetamine and heroin.