This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
A former Draper police officer has been charged with misdemeanor crimes after authorities claim they caught him using drugs last month while parked in his police vehicle at a Midvale parking lot.
Benjamin G. Beglarian, 30, is charged with use or possession of drug paraphernalia and two counts of possession or uses of a controlled substance, all class B misdemeanors.
On Aug. 19, employees at a sporting goods store were watching on surveillance cameras when they allegedly saw Beglarian pull to the side of the building in an unmarked police car. They called 911 after it appeared the person inside was smoking a narcotic, police said at the time.
Unified Police Department officers said Beglarian was off-duty and dressed in plain clothes when they spoke with him.
Police said they found drug paraphernalia on him and suspect he was using heroin.
Beglarian, a five-year veteran of the Draper Police Department, resigned within hours of being questioned about the alleged drug use by UPD officers. He had worked as a K-9 officer for the past three years.
Beglarian is scheduled for a pretrial conference on Sept. 19 before Midvale Justice Court Judge Ronald Wolthuis.