Officers’ dinner break leads to drug bust

PRICE CITY – Police officers stopping to grab a quick bite to eat make a big drug bust. Price City Police Officers Tyler Cressall and Nick Parker were at a fast food restaurant on March 20 around 10:00pm when they say they witnessed a drug deal. They ditched their meals and went after the suspects.

They arrested Jonathan Croft and Kylie Thompson on suspicion of drug distribution and possession charges. Police say Croft was in possession of cash, drug paraphernalia, a bag of meth and some heroin. They say Thompson also had heroin, meth and drug paraphernalia.

As the investigation continued, detectives searched Croft’s home in Price. Inside they say they found a surveillance system, drug paraphernalia and a so-called cutting agent that they say is used to stretch drugs out and make a larger profit. While sitting on the house, investigators say Michael Helmlinger and Andrea Tanner drove up and were arrested on drug charges after officers found heroin, meth and papers detailing drug dealing activities in their car.

Court records show Jonathan Croft has four previous arrests, Kylie Thompson also has four, all of them involving drug charges, Michael Helmlinger has seven prior arrests and Andrea Tanner has 5.