FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 20, 2025

Media Contact Information

PolicePIO@slc.gov

https://police.slc.gov/mediarequest/

SLCPD Officers Arrest Man Accused of Fabricating Medical Emergency of Swallowing Heroin, Suspect Booked into Jail

SALT LAKE CITY — Officers with the Salt Lake City Police Department (SLCPD) safely booked a 27-year-old man into jail after he is accused of fabricating a medical emergency in what appears to be an attempt to delay or avoid going to jail.

“This kind of criminal behavior will not be tolerated,” said Salt Lake City Police Chief Mike Brown. “When someone manufactures a medical emergency to avoid going to jail, they are not just wasting our officers’ time, they are diverting critical public safety resources away from real emergencies.”

“Our paramedics, hospital staff, and officers should be responding to people in actual need of help, not those trying to game the system,” Chief Brown added. “Our message is clear, if you try to manipulate or abuse our emergency services to delay the consequences of your actions, we will hold you accountable.”

This investigation started at 6:39 p.m. on Sunday, January 19, 2025, when SLCPD officers responded to the Target store, located at 1110 South 300 West on reports of a theft in progress.

During their investigation, officers found 27-year-old Spencer Adamson with drug paraphernalia, including burnt tinfoil, a makeshift pipe used to smoke drugs, and a bag containing white powdery substance that field tested positive for methamphetamine.

Officers placed Adamson into custody because he had active felony warrants.

While being driven to jail, Adamson told the arresting officer he swallowed a bag of heroin—while in the back seat of the patrol car and with his hands handcuffed behind him, which caused the officer to request emergency medical assistance out of concern for Adamson’s safety. Paramedics responded with their lights and sirens and took Adamson to the hospital with no immediate signs of any emergency.

At the hospital, staff conducted a medical evaluation and closely monitored Adamson’s condition. After confirming his heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen levels remained stable throughout his time at the hospital, medical staff determined him to be medically stable and cleared him for release.

Officers booked Adamson into the Salt Lake County Metro Jail—around 10:30 p.m.—almost four hours after initially responding to Target—on charges of possession of a controlled substance and use or possession of drug paraphernalia. Because officers determined Adamson likely fabricated his medical emergency, they booked him into jail with one additional count of emergency reporting abuse, which makes it illegal to make a false request for emergency assistance.

Charges are only allegations, and every arrested person is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

The Salt Lake City Police Department is not the custodian of record for jail booking photos. Utah Code 17-22-30 mostly prohibits the release of jail booking photos. Generally, a jail booking photo can only be released by the custodian of record after a conviction or when law enforcement determines the person is a fugitive or an imminent threat to a person or public safety. In Salt Lake City, the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office is the custodian of record for jail booking photos.

The information contained in this news release is based on a preliminary review of the details available to the Salt Lake City Police Department. As the investigation progresses, information may change.

###