Three St. George brothers face felony charges after police said a search of a basement apartment uncovered suspected 3D-printed firearms, firearm components and individually packaged psilocybin mushrooms. Chase Quinton Hull, 27, Caden Lee Hull, 24, and Colton Zane Hull, 22, were booked into Purgatory Correctional Facility on Thursday and remain held without bail.
A Marijuana Smell Leads to a Search Warrant
According to St. George News, the investigation began when an officer on bicycle patrol smelled burnt marijuana near a townhouse complex and traced it to a basement apartment near 300 South and 200 East. Chase Hull reportedly told officers he had been smoking a substance called Delta 9, which he said he bought from a mall kiosk. Police obtained a search warrant for the apartment.
Police recovered marijuana-related items and mushrooms that charging documents described as packaged individually in a manner consistent with distribution, according to the same report. The alleged intent matters under Utah law: possession of psilocybin for personal use is a Class A misdemeanor, while possession with intent to distribute is prosecuted as a second-degree felony under Utah Code § 58-37-8, according to Collins Rupp.
3D-Printed Rifles, a Serial-Number-Free Handgun
The search also uncovered three assembled rifles investigators believed were made using a 3D printer and a 3D-printed handgun without a serial number. The firearms appeared to be functional, according to the station’s report. Investigators also recovered rifle parts and suppressors they believed were 3D-printed, as well as nearly a dozen firearms that were not 3D-printed.
Investigators found a 3D printer in the garage that they believed was used to make firearms and firearm components, along with two computers they believed were used in the operation. Officers also recovered four bags of suspected psilocybin mushrooms, raw marijuana, THC wax, several THC vape devices and drug paraphernalia, according to the outlet’s report. Police obtained a second warrant to seize the firearms, printer, computers and other electronics.
What Each Brother Allegedly Told Investigators
According to the report, Colton Hull told investigators he possessed the mushrooms and one manufactured handgun. Caden Hull said four firearms found in his bedroom belonged to him; police say one was made using a 3D printer. Chase Hull reportedly said the fabricated firearms were operational and described the programs and software he used to make them.
The St. George Police Department Gang Unit responded to assist investigators. All three brothers were arrested after the search, and charges were filed later that day.
Felony Counts and Possible Penalties
Caden Hull was charged with one second-degree felony count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and four third-degree felony counts of Category II prohibited dangerous weapon conduct involving a firearm, along with misdemeanor counts of possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. He made an initial appearance at 5th District Court.
Chase Hull was charged with 10 third-degree felony counts of Category II prohibited dangerous weapon conduct involving a firearm, plus misdemeanor counts of possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. Colton Hull faces one third-degree felony count of Category II prohibited dangerous weapon conduct involving a firearm, along with misdemeanor counts of possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Utah Code § 76-11-303 classifies someone as a Category II restricted person if the person is an unlawful user of a controlled substance or knowingly possesses a dangerous weapon while knowingly in possession of a Schedule I or II drug, according to the Utah Legislature. The firearm counts described in the case are allegations under that law; the statutory classification does not, by itself, establish that any brother violated it. A third-degree felony conviction in Utah carries an indeterminate sentence of zero to five years in prison and fines up to $5,000, while a second-degree felony carries one to 15 years and fines up to $10,000, per the Utah Legislature’s sentencing statutes.
What the Records and Earlier Cases Show
Federal tracing figures count privately made firearms submitted to the ATF for tracing, not all such firearms in circulation or specifically 3D-printed guns. According to Spectrum Local News, the ATF traced more than 19,000 privately made firearms in 2021, more than double the previous year; the increase partly reflected an agency effort to encourage police to submit weapons for tracing. A separate national dispute concerned publication of 3D-gun plans: the Associated Press reported that a federal judge in Seattle blocked the Trump administration on August 27, 2018, from allowing a Texas company to post such plans online. That was a publishing dispute, not a local firearms prosecution.
Federal Exposure Over Unregistered Suppressors
The reported suppressors could also raise a federal issue if they were unregistered. The National Firearms Act requires registration before fabricating or receiving a suppressor; the tax is $0 in 2026. Manufacturing or possessing an unregistered firearm silencer can carry a federal penalty of up to 10 years in prison and fines up to $250,000 per count, according to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The reported allegations do not establish whether the recovered devices were registered.
The case comes amid a broader increase in recoveries of privately made firearms. Law enforcement agencies nationwide recovered more than 92,700 between 2017 and 2023, a 1,588% increase in recoveries over that period, according to Everytown Research & Policy. In March 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 7-2 in Bondi v. VanDerStok to uphold an ATF rule requiring commercial ghost gun kits and component parts to carry serial numbers and undergo background checks, according to the Duke Center for Firearms Law. That ruling concerned commercial kits; this case involves allegations about firearms made with a 3D printer.
All three brothers were booked into Purgatory Correctional Facility, the Washington County jail, and remain in custody without bail as the investigation continues.
