By Travis Uresk
1/13/24
Vernal, Ut.- (1/11/24) Deputy Fairey saw a white Ford SUV near 1200 S 2500 W, and he had prior knowledge that multiple active warrants were attached to the registration.
During the traffic stop, the male was asked for his ID, and at first, he refused to provide his ID and stated that he didn't have it with him. As the investigation continued, the male eventually provided the Deputy with the name of 54-year-old Hughie Robert Blake.
Dispatch couldn't locate any information for Hughie after he was asked to confirm the information. The male repeated the name of Hughie Blake (dob 12/16/1969) and stated he was from Alaska. Dispatch located a driver's license record out of Cordova, Alaska, for that subject.
Shortly after, an assisting officer found a wallet sitting on top of the snow about 15 feet from the vehicle's passenger side. The wallet had been discovered. The male subject admitted his true identity was 45-year-old Paul M Blake.
The wallet contained ID cards (Washington, Massachusetts) and a social security card were found. The ID card was issued to Paul M Blake. The photographs shown on the cards were an identical match for Paul.
Dispatch was asked to check Paul’s personal information and located two active arrest warrants out of California and Oregon.
Paul was arrested and transported to the jail. During the transport, the assisting officer detected the odor of marijuana coming from the prisoner. Upon arrival at the jail, an additional screening of Paul's personal items was conducted.
A small baggie containing a green organic material was found hidden inside an open package of cigarettes. Paul stated that he had recently taken the pack of cigarettes from another vehicle and that he had been unaware that the marijuana was inside.
Paul Blake was booked into the Uintah County Jail.
