Man Arrested For Dealing Heroin While On Probation And In Possession Of A Handgun
KOSCIUSKO — Failure to use a turn signal led officers to discover a passenger in possession of heroin, methamphetamine, marijuana and a handgun. The man was out on probation after being convicted of dealing heroin.
Eric Scott McFarland, 37, 41 EMS W16 Lane, North Webster, is being charged with dealing in a narcotic drug with enhancing circumstances, a level 3 felony; possession of a narcotic drug with enhancing circumstances, a level 5 felony; possession of methamphetamine with enhancing circumstances, a level 5 felony; possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon; a level 5 felony; and possession of a syringe, a level 6 felony.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, on April 25, an officer with the Warsaw Police Department witnessed a vehicle fail to use a proper turn signal. A traffic stop was conducted and the driver was identified as Dale Stephens and the passenger as McFarland. Stephens had an active arrest warrant in Kosciusko County and was arrested.
An officer was checking on McFarland and saw a handgun on the floor by the front passenger seat in plain view. McFarland advised that he forgot the handgun was in the vehicle. He also told the officer that he has been convicted of aiding, inducing or causing dealing in a narcotic drug, a level 5 felony, in 2017. McFarland is still on probation for that case.
Upon searching the vehicle the officer found multiple containers that McFarland said belonged to him. Inside the containers, the officer found marijuana, digital scales, weights to calibrate digital scales, over 400 empty plastic bags, a bag containing .4 grams of methamphetamine and syringes.
Officers transported McFarland to the Kosciusko County Jail. During the booking procedure, officers found a plastic bag inside McFarland’s person. Inside the bag were 14 small plastic bags with a total of 1.03 grams of heroin.