On December 14th, 2018 at 12:31 a.m. Riverton Police Department officers responded to a call about controlled substance use in an apartment complex in Riverton.
While officers arrived at the complex, they watched a male subject run out of the complex and enter the passenger side of a vehicle. The vehicle then attempted to leave the complex parking lot, while the passenger door was still ajar.
RPD officers stopped the vehicle immediately and logged that there were three occupants inside. One of the passengers and the man they had just seen running out of the building identified himself as “Joaquin.” Officers were able to identify that man later as 32-year-old Aaron Underwood. Underwood had an NCIC Warrant for his arrest after escaping from the Community Reentry Center in Casper in early November 2018.
As officers attempted to arrest Underwood, he began resisting the arrest and digging his left hand into his pocket. Court documents show that because Underwood would not comply and officers were unsure what was in his pocket, RPD officers drew their weapons and gave him verbal commands at this point. While Underwood was on the ground, an officer retrieved an approximately 6-inch long knife from his left hip area. Officers also located one syringe, a small bag containing marijuana, and a syringe cap wrapped in cellophane in Underwood’s coat. A digital scale and a can of OC spray were also located in the coat.
Underwood was placed under arrest. A female occupant of the vehicle was also arrested on a Fremont County Warrant.
A nik kit test later revealed that a substance on one of Underwood’s syringes tested positive for methamphetamine. It also tested positive for the presumed THC found in a baggie. The total amount of marijuana found was 2 grams.
This is Underwood’s third charge of Possession of a Controlled Substance in under 10-years. He’s being charged currently with “Enhanced Penalties” for one count of Possession of Methamphetamine, punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000. And, charged with one count Possession of Marijuana, also under an “Enhanced Penalty,” which holds a 5-year prison sentence and a fine of up to $5,000.
In January, Underwood waived his preliminary hearing and the matter is transferred to District Court for arraignment at a later date. It was unclear at this time if Underwood will face additional penalties from Natrona County.
All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.