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Drug Task Force Executes Coordinated Warrant, Finds Mushroom Grow and Weapons Cache in Parowan4 min read

By Tracie Sullivan, For Iron County Today

Hidden inside a quiet Parowan home, officers found a mushroom grow operation and a cache of firearms — the result of a months-long narcotics investigation that ended in felony charges earlier this week.

Agents with the Iron-Garfield-Beaver Narcotics Task Force had been investigating Matthew Joseph Metcalf, 45, for several months after receiving information he was cultivating psychedelic mushrooms for distribution.

Because of Metcalf’s prior felony convictions, the team brought in the Iron Metro SWAT unit to assist with the search warrant.

However, while SWAT was present, officials emphasized that this was not a raid in the traditional sense. Unlike many warrant operations that involve immediate entry and heightened alarm and risk, this one was planned in advance and designed to reduce trauma to the children and keep everyone safe.

Rather than rushing through the front door, officers intercepted the suspect off-site on his way to work and allowed him to contact his wife so the children could be removed from the house before police entered.

”We wanted him to be able to get the kids out of the house so that they didn’t have to wake up 6 o’clock in the morning to guns and police lights and helicopters and everything like that,” said Iron County Sheriff Lt. Shawn Peterson.

The operation reflects a shift in how the task force has begun to approach warrants at homes where children are present. In recent months, the agency has faced some public criticism for conducting high-intensity entries — pounding on doors, shouting commands, and entering with guns drawn — even when young children were inside.

Peterson said those concerns have prompted internal discussions about how to better balance safety with reducing trauma in sensitive situations.

“That was the goal of planning the operation the way we did. We wanted to reduce the trauma the kids would have gone through while also ensuring the safety of our officers, Peterson said. “We can’t always do it this way. But when we can, and it’s safe to slow down and plan it like this, we should.”

Inside the home, agents located a clandestine mushroom grow. Equipment found on site included petri dishes, dehydrators, growing containers, syringes filled with spores, and a mini fridge used to store cultures. A shed behind the home was also being used in the operation.

Eleven firearms were recovered, including handguns and rifles. Because of Metcalf’s prior convictions for aggravated assault and robbery, he is prohibited from owning or possessing weapons.

Because the grow operation was located inside the residence and spores were present in the air, investigators also charged Metcalf with two counts of child endangerment, citing the potential health risk to the two minor children living in the home.

Psilocybin mushrooms, being a fungus, can release airborne spores that pose respiratory risks — especially in enclosed spaces. Officers wore protective gear when entering the home to avoid potential exposure.

“If those spores get into your lungs, you can have all sorts of problems,” Peterson said.

In all, Metcalf faces 13 felony charges. These include five counts of drug distribution, four counts of possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person, two counts of child endangerment, one count of operating a clandestine lab, and one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.

Peterson said the mushrooms had already been harvested, but the grow setup was fully operational and prepared for another cycle.

“He had sold everything that he had grown before that,” Peterson said. “The syringes are full of the spores … it was a legit thing. I mean, he’s just getting ready to regrow.”

According to the charging documents filed in 5th District Court, agents recovered messages from Metcalf’s phone arranging mushroom sales and showing photos of large mushrooms, including one that weighed 14 ounces.

Task Force Commander Zac Adams praised the officers who worked the case.

“The agents did a fantastic job working this case,” Adams said. “A lot of man hours went into this investigation, and it’s nice when all the hard work comes together and an investigation of this magnitude works out.”

Peterson said the team prioritized both officer and civilian safety throughout the operation.

“This was a textbook narcotics joint operation,” he said, “using a tactical team to ensure the safety of everybody. They did a really good investigation. They slowed down, they identified stuff, they used the search warrant matrix to check the risk and then requested our tactical team to assist them in their service so that everybody was safe.”

Metcalf remains in custody at the Iron County Jail.

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