Mother and daughter arrested on drug charges following traffic stop

By Tracie Sullivan, for Iron County Today

A mother and her daughter were arrested Thursday evening following a traffic stop on Interstate 15 in south Iron County that led to several drug charges.

Emily Kim Carbaugh, 22, and Cheri Kim Carbaugh, 65, were booked into the Iron County Jail early Friday morning. Each faces one count of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, a third-degree felony, as well as several misdemeanor charges related to drug possession and paraphernalia.

According to court documents in 5th District Court, the incident occurred around 10:30 p.m. on June 13 when a Utah Highway Patrol trooper observed a vehicle with a faulty tail light traveling southbound on Interstate 15, near mile marker 46. After stopping the vehicle, the trooper saw a colored pipe with white residue in the center console.

Cheri Carbaugh, the front passenger, said the pipe belonged to a friend. When the officer asked her to hand over a pack of cigarettes she was holding, he allegedly found a bag of methamphetamine inside. Carbaugh insisted the drugs belonged to a previous passenger.

After placing Cheri Carbaugh under arrest, the officer noticed that the driver, Emily Carbaugh, had bloodshot eyes and drooping eyelids. Emily admitted to using drugs a few days prior and revealed she was two months pregnant and using fentanyl, according to the affidavit.

Emily Carbaugh then consented to a blood draw at Cedar City Hospital before both women were booked into the Iron County Jail.

Other drugs, including suspected fentanyl pills and buprenorphine naloxone (suboxone), as well as various drug paraphernalia were also discovered during a further search of the car.

Cheri Carbaugh faces several charges, including use or possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a controlled substance, and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.

Emily Carbaugh faces similar charges, including possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance, use or possession of drug paraphernalia, driving with a measurable controlled substance and defective tail light violation .