Two Arrested in Tooele for Drug Crimes and Child Endangerment

Two men were arrested in Tooele County on multiple charges, including drug possession and child endangerment, after police discovered them in a hotel room with three young children and illegal substances.

Kennith James Pierce, 50, and Eric Mayse, 39, were taken into custody on Monday afternoon and booked into the Tooele County Jail. Authorities acted on a tip from a confidential source, who informed them that Pierce, Mayse, another adult, and three children were staying at a local hotel. The source claimed the adults were using drugs in front of the children and were in possession of two modified firearms, often referred to as “ghost guns.”

Pierce and Mayse, both from Bakersfield, California, were believed to be planning to flee back to California. Based on this information, the Tooele Major Crimes Task Force obtained a search warrant for both the hotel room and a Dodge truck linked to the suspects.

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As the search unfolded, officers located Mayse attempting to leave the hotel and took him into custody. Pierce was arrested shortly after, when police found methamphetamine in his jacket during a search of the hotel room. Inside the room, officers detected a strong odor of meth and found three young children, ages one to three, along with various drugs, including methamphetamine and psychedelic mushrooms.

Further investigation led to the discovery of additional drugs, such as marijuana, meth, and fentanyl, in the truck associated with Pierce and Mayse. Police also found two firearms with altered serial numbers in the vehicle.

Both men face a wide range of charges, including:

• Three counts of child endangerment, a third-degree felony
• Conspiracy to possess controlled substances (marijuana, meth), with misdemeanor and felony charges
• Possession of drug paraphernalia
• Conspiracy to alter a firearm’s serial number, a misdemeanor
• Two counts of possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person
• Conspiracy to receive stolen firearms or vehicles

Pierce and Mayse are currently being held in Tooele County Jail.

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keelee-mccain

Keelee McCain is a junior at Weber High School. This is her second year on staff, this year as Assistant to the Chief. She does have a life (probably) but she can't think of anything to write in here, so she's probably just going to ramble now. She has an orange cat who she likes better than any human. If you see her being quiet or not sitting on top of a desk, there is something very wrong. In her free time she enjoys harassing her favorite teachers and sleeping. Her life plans include making it through high school and leaving. Happy lifeing.

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