4 arrested after SWAT standoff during an construction vehicle theft investigation

IRON COUNTY, Utah — Four people were arrested after the Iron County Sheriff’s Office found multiple stolen vehicles in a “compound” Wednesday morning.

According to the affidavits, a skid steer and a Jeep vehicle were reported stolen to the Iron County sheriff’s office in Beryl, Utah, on Feb. 27

During the police investigation, the owner of the vehicles told police that there was a skid loader on a Beryl property that matched the description of the one stolen.

According to the affidavits, an officer went to the property and located the skid steer. The owner identified the skid steer as his by pictures taken by an “unknown party.”

Police began investigating and surveilling the property, which police called “compound” in the affidavits. During the surveillance, police found a Jeep matching the stolen vehicle’s description on the compound.

On Wednesday morning, police executed a search warrant with the Iron Metro Swat team on the compound and arrested four people.

According to the affidavit, Iron County deputies began to search the compound and found 64-year-old Robert Clay Wilson inside one of the trailers.

Deputies searched Wilson’s trailer and found a .38-caliber handgun and a .41-caliber shotgun. They also found two keys for two listed stolen cars inside Wilson’s trailer, one belonging to a Dodge Ram 3500 and a Jeep Wrangler.

According to the affidavit, Wilson’s trailer had “several pipes and syringes,” with the pipes having “burnt residue consistent with methamphetamine.” Police also found what they believed to be marijuana in the trailer.

Another suspect, 54-year-old Lisa Damarto, was found in a trailer with similar drug paraphernalia as Wilson.

The third suspect, 51-year-old Kendra Desoto, lived in a trailer with her husband when the search began.

According to the affidavit, when police began issuing orders to compound residents, Desoto ignored them until “lethal munitions were used to break a window of the trailer.”

The affidavit states that police found a “‘bubbler’ consisting of a glass pipe and a plastic jar… (with) burnt residue consistent with methamphetamine” and “a white paper rolled up with a green leafy material that had been burnt, consistent with marijuana” inside Desoto trailer.

“After Miranda rights were read to (Desoto), she admitted to the use of methamphetamine and marijuana. She also admitted to hearing the commands from law enforcement and stayed in the trailer,” according to the affidavit.

The last suspect, 42-year-old William Scott Johnson, was found by police inside a listed stolen 1998 24-foot Mallard Coachmen travel trailer.

According to the affidavit, Johnson didn’t respond to police commands until his trailer window was broken. Deputies found four firearms inside the trailer, along with similar drug paraphernalia that was in Desoto’s trailer.

“After Miranda rights were read to (Johnson), he admitted to owning the firearms and the trailer,” states the affidavit. “He admitted to buying and being given methamphetamine and marijuana by other individuals on the property, as well as his use of the controlled substances.”

According to the affidavit, Wilson and Johnson are convicted felons restricted from owning firearms.

Damarto and Desoto were booked into the Iron County Jail for three misdemeanor charges related to possessing drugs and drug paraphernalia. Desoto was booked for an additional misdemeanor charge of interfering with an arresting officer.

According to the affidavits, Johnson and Wilson were jailed for misdemeanor charges related to possessing drugs and drug paraphernalia and felony charges of possessing firearms as a restricted person.

Johnson was booked for an additional misdemeanor charge of interfering with an arresting officer and a third-degree felony charge of theft by receiving stolen property.

Wilson was booked with two second-degree felony charges of receiving or transferring a stolen vehicle.

The affidavits and court searches did not name Desoto’s husband in this police search.