A Murray woman and a Park City man are facing criminal charges in 3rd District Court after a traffic stop near Knolls revealed counterfeit money, drugs and stolen bank cards.
Mickenzey Bennion, 27, and Abraham Ortiz, 33, are both charged with third-degree felony unlawful acquisition or possession of a financial transaction card and third-degree felony possession of a forgery device, as well as misdemeanor counts of possession or use of a controlled substance and use or possession of drug paraphernalia.
A Utah Highway Patrol trooper saw the vehicle driven by Ortiz illegally parked on the northbound lane to Interstate 80 at Knolls and initiated a traffic stop at 6:30 p.m. on April 10, a probable cause statement said. After initial contact with Ortiz and Bennion, the trooper found both had a pair of outstanding warrants and they were arrested.
The trooper performed an inventory of the vehicle and located a large amount of cash inside the sunglass holder between the visors, the statement said. The cash turned out to be counterfeit and the trooper contacted the State Bureau of Investigations.
During the search the trooper also located two bank cards not belonging to Ortiz or Bennion amongst their personal belongings, the probable cause statement said. Two electronic scales, multiple syringes containing heroin and a baggy of heroin were found in two different bags within the vehicle.
Bennion and Ortiz were transported to the Utah Highway Patrol Tooele office for questioning by a SBI agent, the statement said. They were then transported to the Tooele County Detention Center.