LINDON, Utah – A 28-year-old Lindon man is facing several charges after marijuana an eight-year-old boy took to school was traced back to him.
On Dec. 15, Lindon police officers were called to Aspen Elementary school in Orem where Orem police were investigating a case involving marijuana found in the boy’s backpack.
Officers from both agencies went to the boy’s home in Lindon and his mother told them she had found the pot in her roommate’s vehicle and moved it to his bedroom. The mother agreed to let the officers search the upstairs room and they smelled a strong odor of burnt marijuana inside the room.
Officers could also see a bag of a green substance on the dresser and requested and obtained a search warrant. The search turned up 75 grams of marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and a social security card. The officers said the card appeared to be fake.
When the roommate, Jose Eduardo Vargas, returned to the home, officers arrested him, and he was later booked into the Utah County jail. Vargas told officers a former employer in Nevada had secured the social security card for him.
The boy’s mother said her three children often watched movies with Vargas in his room, which was just down the hall from their rooms.
Vargas is charged with possession of a controlled substance, use or possession of drug paraphernalia, endangerment of a child, and possession of a forgery.
Officers also put an immigration hold on Vargas and contacted Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
