Warrants detail massive spice ring that spanned 2 states

SALT LAKE CITY  – Multiple charges have been filed against nine people in 3rd District Court and at least one man in Weber County in connection with what investigators say was a massive spice ring that spanned at least two states.

The charges levied include first-degree felony distribution of a controlled substance, money laundering and a pattern of unlawful activity.

An investigation led to a raid in Las Vegas last November at a warehouse where police  found nearly $30 million worth of the synthetic drug. Officers served search warrants at a pair of businesses in West Haven, Weber County, as well as locations in Murray, Sandy and West Valley last November.

In search warrant affidavits filed this week in 3rd District Court, investigators detail an elaborate scheme that involved businesses called Deep Powder Distributors in West Haven, Deep Powder Marketing in Murray, Double Diamond Distributing and LCM Distributors based out of New York. Investigators also allege Western Wholesale in Sandy was part of the money laundering scheme to funnel the cash.

While promoted as businesses that either sold or marketed "incense or potpourri," the court documents say the companies' own YouTube videos showed what clearly appeared to be spice. One of the men charged, Utahn Randy Williams, is in two videos talking about how to sell spice, market spice and how to make money off the illicit product, the court documents say.

Another man charged in the ring, Richard Arghittu, is pictured in a video touting Deep Powder Marketing in which he describes the kind of personal income that can be made from selling the product, the affidavit says, adding: "Arghittu states that the product has created a multimillion dollar business for him and his partners." At the end of the video, an email address is given for the company.

Investigators used a confidential informant  an undercover agent to infiltrate the operation and in one case 36 one-gram canisters of spice were purchased from the West Valley location with names like Scorpion King, Dead Man Walking and Hawaiian Bliss.

The case involved compiling the evidence to support the belief that West Haven warehouses were producing the spice for distribution through Deep Powder and Double Diamond. Investigators believe cash from the illicit sales was stashed in business bank accounts.

According to the search warrants, multiple computers, drug packaging material and paperwork were seized from the Utah businesses, as well as bank transaction records.

Those charged in 3rd District Court  in January include Williams, Arghittu, Joshua Wheatley, Bryan Carlson, Mark R. Hilker, Carey L. Cramer, Andrew Jakus and Dawn Babbitt. Bryan Larsen was charged in 2nd District Court.

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