Former USU football player received sentencing for 30-days in jail

By Sophia Blankmeyer 

Former Utah State football player Christopher Copier pleaded guilty to dealing drugs and was sentenced to 30-days in jail on Jan. 30.

Copier appeared in 1st District Court and pleaded guilty to possession of marijuana, purified ecstasy, mushrooms, THC extracts, adderall and Xanax with intent to distribute, a second-degree felony and possession of a firearm by a restricted person, a third-degree felony.

“The Justice Reinvestment Act has altered many peoples’ sentencing since 2015 in the area,” said Spencer Walsh, a criminal deputy attorney for Cache County. “I think some of the reasons why was he has no prior criminal history, he had family support, the fact that he’s still pursuing his degree, he forfeited his gun and the money and did take accountability.”

Copier was arrested last year in April, when agents with Cache Rich Drug Task Force made  controlled purchases. After searching his car, officers found in the back seat center console four ounces of marijuana. In a large Aggie duffle bag with the name C. Copier and his jersey number, 85, officers found 46 tablets of purified ecstasy, also known as MDMA and $1,647 in cash. 

“If he had prior criminal history, he would probably be sent to prison or at least a substantial amount of jail time,” Walsh said.

 Adult Probation & Patrol recommended Copier be sentenced for 45 days with credit for three days previously served.

“I think his sentence was light,” said Capt. Tyson Budge of the Logan Police Department. “I have a hard time with that, but I don’t want your first criminal act to ruin your life, ruin your career or opportunities. It’s hard though when the act was so egregious.”