Pennsylvania Man Pleads Guilty To Possession Of Methamphetamine With Intent To Distribute, Firearms Charge

 UHP Traffic Stop in Iron County Leads to 86 Pounds of Methamphetamine, Firearm

ST. GEORGE, UT – Channing L. Allen, 36, of Stroudsberg, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime in federal court in St. George Thursday morning. U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul Kohler conducted the hearing.

A Utah Highway Patrol trooper initiated a traffic stop on I-15 in Iron County on Oct. 7, 2019, after observing traffic violations. Allen, who was driving the vehicle, did not have a current registration for the vehicle. After noticing other issues, the Trooper became suspicious of Allen’s conduct and began an investigation that ultimately led to 47 packages of methamphetamine in after-market compartments installed in the vehicle. The packages weighed approximately 86 pounds. 

Allen admitted that he possessed the methamphetamine with intent to distribute and, in furtherance of the drug trafficking crime, he was in possession of a Glock 27 handgun.

U.S. District Judge David Nuffer will impose sentencing in the case Dec. 17, 2020.  The plea agreement includes a stipulated sentence of 144 months followed by 60 months of supervised release.  The sentence is subject to the approval of the Court.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys in the St. George U.S. Attorney’s Office are prosecuting the case.  UHP troopers and agents with the Utah State Bureau of Investigation are investing the case.