CEDAR CITY — A 23-year-old man accused of drug trafficking after being stopped for speeding in August has been sentenced to 364 days in jail plus 36 months of probation in connection with the case.
Daniel Flores was sentenced in Cedar City’s 5th District Court on Nov. 28 by Judge Matthew L. Bell.
As previously reported, Flores was arrested by an Iron County Sheriff’s deputy on Aug. 10 for driving 100 mph in a 75 mph zone. In a subsequent search of the vehicle, officers reportedly found 12 pounds of methamphetamine in a box on the back seat.
As part of a plea agreement, Flores pleaded guilty in October to a single count of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, a second-degree felony. In exchange for that guilty plea, two other charges against Flores were dismissed, namely a misdemeanor drug possession count and a speeding infraction.
At the Nov. 28 sentencing hearing, Bell suspended the 1-15 year prison term typically associated with a second-degree felony conviction and instead imposed a 364-day term in Iron County Jail, with Flores being given credit for the time served since his arrest. Flores will eligible for release next August.
Upon his release from jail, Flores will be placed on a three-year probation term, to be supervised by Utah Adult Probation and Parole, the court ordered.
In addition, Bell ordered Flores to pay $2,053 in fines and fees, payable in monthly installments of $50 starting in December 2023.
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