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Show Friday Drug Arrest In Panguitch Contributes To Cedar City Total PANGUITCH Panguitch Police Chief Martin Nay reported the arrest on Friday of a Panguitch man in connection with a series of arrests in the Cedar City area that netted a total of 16 arrested on drug-related drug-related charges. The raid was a combined efforts of several area agencies that included the Beaver-Iron-Garficld (BIG) Narcotics Task Force, Cedar City police, Iron County Sheriff, Parowan Police and Panguitch Police departments. Nay arrested Benjamin C. Prit-chett, Prit-chett, 21, of Panguitch Friday on an arrest warrant issued by Iron County Attorney Scott Burns charging char-ging distribution of methamphet-amines, methamphet-amines, a second degree felony, and distribution of marijuana, a third degree felony. He was incarcerated in the Garfield County jail and transported on Monday to Cedar (See Panguitch Arrest Page 4A) Panguitch Drug Arrest Friday j From Page 1 City. The Panguitch apprehension was made in connection with a series of drug arrests that began at dawn on Friday in the Cedar City area. A total of 19 warrants have currently netted 16 arrests, with three additional addi-tional unexpected arrests also made on drug-related charges in the process. Burns said Tuesday that three of the warrants are still outstanding. Among the 19 warrants issued were those for 15 males, that in- eluded 14 counts of distribution of 1 amphetamines, a second degree fcl- ; ony; one count of distribution of i cocaine, a second degree felony; two 1 counts of distribution of hydro-codonc, hydro-codonc, a second degree felony; and two counts of distribution of rnari- j uana, a third degree felony. Some have multiple counts against them. Among the four women for whom ! arrest warrants have been issued, j charges include five counts of distribution of amphetamines, a second degree felony. The second degree felonies are punishable by up to 15 years and a $10,000 fine on each count; the third degree felonies are punishable by up to five years and a $5,000 fine on each count. The day-long Cedar City area raid began before dawn with brief- ! ings to the law enforcment teams involved. Iron County Sheriff Ira Schopp-man Schopp-man staled that he has never seen such a high amount of metham-phetamine metham-phetamine distribution and is con- i cerncd about the overall rise of illegal ille-gal drug use and sales in Iron County. Coun-ty. Schoppman stated that without the assistance of the narcotics task force and the aggres-sive attitude of the Iron County Attorny's Office, Iron County could soon become a haven for those who traffic in narcotics. The Beaver, Iron, Garfield Narcotics Task Force receives 40 percent of its budget from federal funds, for a total annual amount of $59,469. i |