By Travis Uresk 11/27/23
Vernal, Ut. - On 11/9/23, Officer Candelas was dispatched to the Uintah Basin Health at 405 North 500 West in Vernal, and when he arrived, he met with a nurse who handed him a sealed bag with a white powdery substance suspected to be cocaine.
The total weight of the drug was 7.7 grams without the bag.
Officer Candelas spoke with the nurse again and asked how she came into contact with the cocaine. She stated that there was a patient who had a seizure and was checked into the hospital. The patient was asked if he was using any drugs, and he admitted that he had used cocaine.
The nurse stated that the patient kept going and taking a long time in the restroom, and they suspected that he was still in possession of the drug and consuming it. When the patient came out of the bathroom, the nurses asked if he still had the drug on him, and he handed the bag of cocaine over to them.
Officer Candelas asked the nurse if she could tell him who the person in possession of the cocaine was, and she asked the hospital admin if she could disclose that information. The admin approved it due to the circumstances. The nurse informed the officer that the male in possession was 25-year-old Bokeem Arthur, and he was still in the hospital.
Officer Candelas interviewed Bokeem and asked if the cocaine was just for self-use. Bokeem stated that it wasn't all for self-use; he also distributed it to his friends.
Due to the information gathered, Bokeem was placed under arrest when he was discharged. While searching his person, a straw with cocaine was found. Bokeem said the straw belonged to him, and he used it to ingest cocaine.
Bokeem was booked into the Uintah County Jail for possession with intent to distribute, possession of cocaine, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
