A man was arrested in Hayden Wednesday evening after being found with 22 grams of heroin, according to the affidavit for his arrest.

Police arrested Anthony Cordova, 33, just after 8 p.m. on Wednesday. He is charged with unlawful possession with intent to distribute heroin, possession of drug paraphernalia and violation of a protection order; along with driving under the influence and a traffic violation.

A police officer with the Hayden Police Department saw a vehicle allegedly driving without using headlights and traveling south on North Shelton Lane. The vehicle then turned west on East Jefferson Avenue and turned on its headlights after the police officer pulled up behind it.

The driver was identified as Cordova, who the officer recognized from previous law enforcement contacts, according to the affidavit.

A Routt County Sheriff’s Deputy and his partner, a K-9 named Winston, arrived on the scene. The deputy told Hayden police the K-9 gave a positive alert, the affidavit states.

After the Hayden officer asked Cordova to step out of the vehicle, Cordova “began to argue,” and attempted to “hide something in the seat behind his back,” the document continues.

“I did not know if this was a weapon,” the Hayden police officer wrote. “I opened the driver’s door and attempted to assist (Cordova) out of the car. At that time, I could see a large plastic baggie with what appeared to be narcotics in his right hand. I grabbed (Cordova’s) right wrist and ordered him to drop the drugs.”

Cordova complied with the order and was handcuffed by law enforcement, the affidavit adds.

According to the document, Cordova admitted the drugs in his possession was heroin Law enforcement performed tests, weighed the bag and found a total of 22 grams of heroin.

Cordova later told law enforcement that he had allegedly smoked “about a half gram” of heroin at a friend’s house about 10 or 20 minutes before the traffic stop.

After searching Cordova’s vehicle, law enforcement found “some burnt foil with drug residue” and a “rolled-up piece of paper that appeared to be used to inhale smoke from burning narcotics,” according to the arrest affidavit.

According to the affidavit, Cordova has a protection order from a 2022 case that bars him from possessing or consuming alcoholic beverages and controlled substances. The protection order expires in 2027.

Following further investigation, a detective with the Steamboat Springs Police Department found text messages between Cordova and another person, with Cordova stating that he had “some H” and asked for help to “get rid of it,” the document adds.

On Thursday, Cordova was issued a $30,000 bond at the Routt County Combined Courts, according to the clerk’s office. As of Friday morning, Cordova had not posted the bond.

Cordova’s next court appearance is scheduled for Tuesday.

Editor’s note: Every person accused of a crime is presumed to be innocent unless and until their guilt is established beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.