By Liz Shepherd
InkFreeNews

Taylor Leanne Turcotte

WARSAW — A Warsaw woman was arrested after a police patrol resulted in the discovery of drug dealing and usage at a Union Street residence.

Taylor Leanne Turcotte, 32, 418 S. Union St. C., Warsaw, is charged with dealing in methamphetamine, a level 3 felony; possession of methamphetamine, a level 5 felony; possession of a controlled substance, a class A misdemeanor; false informing, a class B misdemeanor; and possession of paraphernalia, a class C misdemeanor.

On Sept. 10, a Warsaw Police officer was participating in specialized patrol for increased criminal activity in the 400 block of South Union Street. During his patrol, the officer noticed a vehicle driving up to a residence in the area and ran the registration on it. The officer later learned a woman operating the vehicle had a suspended driving status. At the time, the vehicle had two female occupants.

According to court documents, the officer turned around and by the time he returned to the vehicle, one of the women had gone into the residence and retrieved a dog, and the other woman was not in view. The officer approached the residence at the same time a woman, later identified as Turcotte, exited the residence. Turcotte told the officer she was not driving the vehicle and identified the other woman in the vehicle by a false name. Turcotte eventually admitted to being the driver of the vehicle and was taken into custody for false informing. Turcotte gave officers permission to search her residence for the other woman.

During the search of the residence, the officer found drug paraphernalia in clear view and a small chunk of methamphetamine in the bedroom. It was later determined that someone was locked in one of the residence’s rooms; after knocking multiple times, a woman opened the door. The woman gave a false name and said she resided there. When asked about drugs in the residence, the woman indicated toward the direction of a room Turcotte was seated in.

A search warrant was applied for and granted at 418 S. Union St. Apartment C., Warsaw. While searching the residence, officers found drug paraphernalia and a bag containing 0.7 grams of methamphetamine.

In Turcotte’s bedroom, officers found multiple glass smoking devices, two bags containing a schedule I drug, drug paraphernalia and a stuffed animal purse containing two digital scales with drug residue.

Court documents state one of the women at the residence said she occasionally uses methamphetamine, but that Turcotte and another woman “use methamphetamine all day long.” The woman also told officers that Turcotte and the other woman had just returned from South Bend after picking up one half-ounce of methamphetamine.

Officers spoke with Turcotte, who agreed that she had lied to law enforcement during the initial contact. Turcotte admitted to using methamphetamine, suboxone and heroin. Turcotte also confirmed that one of the women walked into the residence and told Turcotte to provide a false name to officers.

While being booked in the Kosciusko County Jail, Turcotte was found to be in possession of 5.3 grams of methamphetamine.

Electronic messages were also discovered between Turcotte and a woman for arranging a drug purchase.

Turcotte was booked in the Kosciusko County Jail on Sept. 10, with a $15,250 surety and cash bond.