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LR: St. George Police Chief Kyle Whitehead and U.S. Assistant Attorney Jay Winward during the Chief’s Award ceremony at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in St. George, Utah, September 28, 2021 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News
NS. GEORGE – A US deputy attorney was presented with the St. George Police Department’s Chief’s Award for efforts by the federal prosecutor in two high profile cases in which several defendants ended up in several federal prisons for a long time.
The St. George Police Department Chief’s Award was presented on September 24, 2021 by St. George Police Chief Kyle Whitehead, St. George, Utah, to US Assistant Attorney Jay Winward | Photo courtesy Stephen Dent, St. George News
U.S. Assistant Attorney Jay Winward, a federal attorney in the St. George Office, received the award from St. George Police Chief Kyle Whitehead. The prestigious award recognizes exceptional effort and participation beyond duty, and while the division awards a number of awards to civilians and law enforcement agencies, this particular award is not presented annually or on a routine basis, but solely at the discretion of the chief.
The award was presented in recognition of Winward’s exemplary work ethic and willingness to contribute his expertise, reputation and experience, Whitehead said, adding that these efforts have resulted in the effective resolution of two of the department’s cases that are with difficult witnesses, vast amounts of evidence, and criminal activity spanning Utah and beyond.
Whitehead also said that the U.S. Attorney’s Office in St. George as a whole has been instrumental in bringing many serious crimes to justice, a fact that cannot be overstated, he said.
The award also received a commendation from Acting US Attorney Andrea T. Martinez in Salt Lake City.
“It is an honor for a member of our office to receive the Chief’s Award from the St. George Police Department,” Martinez said in an email, adding that her office takes great pride in the accomplishments of her assistant US attorneys in St. .George is.
Martinez went on to say the award is a shining example of the partnerships that federal attorneys and local law enforcement agencies have in southern Utah and the good that can be achieved across the state by working together on behalf of victims.
LR: Angela Reddish-Day, Kyle Whitehead, Jay Winward and Rich Tripplet during the St. George Police Department’s Chief’s Award ceremony in St. George, Utah, September 28, 2021 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News
It was Lt. Rich Triplett of the St. George Police Department, who nominated Winward for the award after two cases, significantly influenced by Winward’s efforts, were instrumental in resolving both cases positively – as well as the long prison terms that followed.
“As Lt. Triplet drew my attention to these two cases, I found the work involved really outstanding and worthy of the award, ”said Whitehead.
The first case Winward was involved in was filed after the shooting of Skyler Armstrong, which was reported on August 15, 2019 and resulted in the arrest and conviction of Nicanor Vasquez-Mendoza, who admittedly shot the teenager in the bedroom of the suspect’s home at 2700 East in St. George.
“Jay’s contribution to this case helped uncover important evidence, and he went out of his way to help during the investigation,” said Whitehead.
Federal charges, charges of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm to promote a drug trafficking crime, were brought against Mendoza the following year, charges of which he pleaded guilty under an agreed agreement.
On March 10, Mendoza was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison.
Winward told St. George News that the Mendoza case was a great one from the start, thanks to the efforts of detectives who worked tirelessly to bring the defendant to justice.
St. George Police detectives were involved in the two cases for which U.S. Assistant Attorney Jay Winward is recognized to assemble at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in St. George, Utah on September 24, 2021 | Photo courtesy Stephen Dent, St. George News
The second case filed in 2019 involved the theft of nearly two dozen firearms during a break into a CAL Ranch store in St. George, which became a complicated case with so many suspects and firearms switching hands over and over again.
“It grew a lot of legs and got intense pretty quickly,” said Triplett.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office got involved because the firearms were stolen and were part of interstate trade, and when Winward stepped in, Triplett said he didn’t have to, but stepped in and helped without hesitation.
Winward said he was honored to receive the award, adding that it was more important to point out that the commendation was a direct reflection of the work done, in many cases, by all three federal attorneys, including Day and the Deputy US – Attorney Stephen Dent. In fact, it is the joint efforts of the police and individual prosecutors in St. George that, in many cases, have led to a successful solution.
Winward also said the award itself was “very impressive,” he said, pointing to the fine details and craftsmanship that went into making the piece, which was a tribute to the police’s attention to detail.
Whitehead said the police are responsible for keeping the community safe and he rounded up the efforts of Winward and all of the federal attorneys who work in the St. George office by saying the cases they are embroiled in are not cases of substance abuse issues or petty crime, for example.
“These are the worst of the worst and pose a significant public safety risk,” he said.
US Attorney John Huber, who was appointed US Attorney at the time the cases were filed, was also present at the awards ceremony at the St. George branch, an office that Huber focused his efforts on during his tenure.
Huber told St. George News in an earlier interview that his goal as a US attorney was to ensure that the St. George branch was staffed enough to handle the rising number of federal cases in court. As the population grew, so did the number of crimes committed, so it was his goal to ensure that every branch was staffed accordingly.
John Huber, who was appointed US Attorney General for Utah in the cases where the award took place and has since stepped down (center picture), attended the Chief’s Award ceremony by St. George City Police Department Kyle Whitehead, in St. George, Utah, September 24, 2021 | Photo courtesy Stephen Dent, St. George News
He also praised the efforts of all federal attorneys during the interview, which occurred just months before his resignation, saying that the St. George branch is handling an ever-increasing number of cases while maintaining the standards that promote fair administration of federal law .
The increase in staff also had the added benefit of helping local law enforcement agencies by providing federal resources and manpower when needed, Huber said.
The joint efforts of the two agencies appear to be paying off, Federal Prosecutor Angela Reddish-Day told St. George News during the meeting.
Day said the effectiveness of the joint effort between state and federal agencies had a dramatic impact on criminal activity, as evidenced by the number of defendants arrested in the pipeline drug cases and serving long sentences in federal facilities.
These joint efforts are so successful, she said, that those involved in these criminal companies are sending a clear message to their counterparts in other states.
“Whatever you do – stay away from Utah. The FBI will get you, ”she said.
Photo gallery
LR: St. George Police Chief Kyle Whitehead, Assistant US Attorney Jay Winward and St. George Police Lt. Rich Triplett during the Chief’s Award ceremony in St. George, Utah, September 24, 2021 | Photo courtesy Stephen Dent, St. George News
The prestigious St. George Police Department’s Chief’s Award was presented to U.S. Assistant Attorney Jay Winward by St. George Police Chief Kyle Whitehead, which hangs in the corridor of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in St. George, Utah, on September 28, 2021 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News
The St. George Police Department Chief’s Award was presented to U.S. Assistant Attorney Jay Winward on September 24, 2021 by St. George Police Chief Kyle Whitehead, St. George, Utah | Photo courtesy Stephen Dent, St. George Newsv
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LR: Angela Reddish-Day, Kyle Whitehead, Jay Winward and Rich Tripplet during the St. George Police Department’s Chief’s Award ceremony in St. George, Utah, September 28, 2021 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News
St. George Police detectives gathered at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in St. George, Utah on September 24, 2021 on the two cases for which U.S. Assistant Attorney Jay Winward is recognized | Photo courtesy Stephen Dent, St. George News
John Huber, who was appointed U.S. Attorney for Utah in the cases in which the award was awarded and has since resigned (center picture), attended the Chief’s Award ceremony by the St. George City Police Chief, Kyle Whitehead, in St. George, Utah, September 24, 2021 | Photo courtesy Stephen Dent, St. George News
Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2021, all rights reserved.
Cody Blowers grew up in South San Francisco, California. A 2013 graduate of Colorado Technical University, Cody earned her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice with a minor in paralegal studies. In the course of her studies, she discovered that writing is her real passion and is committed to credible, integrated reporting. Cody joined St. George News in 2015, and when she’s not busy chasing the news, she can usually be chased after her young granddaughter, Kali.
