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Davis County inmates turn in gun found next to freeway

Posted at 12:08 PM, Jan 23, 2015
and last updated 2015-01-23 19:36:49-05

FARMINGTON, Utah -- The Davis County Sheriff's Office praised two inmates for their integrity and honesty after they alerted their supervisor to a semi-automatic handgun they found while picking up trash along I-15.

Jeremy Gerhardt and Abdul Asaddullah, both inmates at the Davis County Jail, are part of the jail's Work Detail program, in which non-violent offenders give community service like assisting UDOT with road repairs and cleaning up roadways. According to a posting on the Davis County Sheriff's Office Facebook page, Gerhardt and Asaddullah were picking up used tires, trash and other discarded items when Asaddullah noticed a fully-loaded handgun magazine and immediately alerted his supervisor.

"Where there’s a clip, there must be a gun somewhere," Gerhardt then told Asaddullah, according to the posting.

Gerhardt then noticed a semi-automatic handgun a few yards away and alerted the supervisor, who contacted local authorities. Utah Highway Patrol officials responded to the scene and began an investigation.

“It’s the honest thing to do and I’m trying to live my life honestly,” Gerhardt said when asked why he turned in the gun.

Asaddullah had a similar reaction to the question.

“I have kids and it’s just the right thing to do. If I can find a gun on the side of the freeway, you could do the right thing too,” Asaddullah said.