SALT LAKE CITY — A man was arrested last week after thousands of fentanyl pills and hundreds of heroin doses were found in his bags when he arrived at the Salt Lake City International Airport, according to police.
David Christopher Ellis, 39, was initially taken into custody on a statewide warrant, along with felony-level fraud and domestic violence charges out of Weber County. He was apprehended for these charges on Thursday after he flew from Phoenix to Salt Lake.
The arresting officers said Ellis had methamphetamine in one of his pockets, then while being interviewed, he allegedly told them he had a large amount of fentanyl in his suitcase. Police searched his suitcase and said they found approximately 4,100 small, round, blue pills that appeared to be fentanyl.
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Police said they also found 37.8 grams of a black, tar-like substance, which was later tested and received a positive result for heroin. Officers said this amount was equal to about 378 individual doses of the drug.
According to court documents, Ellis "said the fentanyl was coming to the Weber County area to be distributed," and he was already the subject of an investigation into fentanyl distribution in the area.
An officer who said they had been investigating Ellis' alleged drug distribution said they learned he frequently travels between Mexico, Arizona and Utah. They also said he uses fraudulent documents and different aliases.
Ellis was booked on two 2nd-degree felony counts of controlled substance possession with intent to distribute, and one lesser (misdemeanor) count of controlled substance possession. He was ordered by a judge to be held without bail.
