By Liz Shepherd
InkFreeNews

Joshua E. Jellison

Amanda Ann Strunk

WARSAW — Two people were recently arrested after a traffic stop resulted in the discovery of drugs.

Amanda Ann Strunk, 46, 220 Ray Ave., Kendallville; and Joshua E. Jellison, 40, 315 Parsonage St., Hudson, are each charged with dealing in methamphetamine, a level 2 felony; and possession of methamphetamine, a level 4 felony.

On Aug. 3, a Warsaw Police officer was patrolling westbound on Old Road 30 when he passed a vehicle traveling 40 mph in a 30 mph speed zone. The officer attempted to run the plate on the vehicle, but the vehicle had a temporary license plate that was difficult to read. The officer pulled the vehicle over.

According to court documents, Jellison was driving the vehicle and Strunk was a passenger. A K9 unit arrived and completed an outer air search of the vehicle. The K9 positively indicated the smell of illegal narcotics coming from the vehicle. Prior to the search, Strunk told officers that she had a methamphetamine smoking device in her bag.

While searching the vehicle, officers found several small plastic bags containing methamphetamine. Officers also found three bags containing substantial amounts of methamphetamine, with each bag weighing more than 7 grams.

A passenger in the vehicle with Jellison and Strunk said he knew nothing about anything illegal in the vehicle. He also said that when the officer started following the vehicle, Strunk began moving items around quickly but that he did not see what she was moving.

Strunk said she did not know anything about the methamphetamine in the vehicle but admitted to having the smoking device and a small amount of methamphetamine she had been given by Jellison. When asked if the passenger in their vehicle knew about the methamphetamine, Strunk said he had no idea.

Jellison told officers he did not know anything about the methamphetamine, saying that the vehicle was not his and that he was just driving it.

Strunk was then questioned further about the large amount of methamphetamine in the vehicle. Court documents state that initially, Strunk said she didn’t know about it but later admitted that it was from Fort Wayne. When asked how much money she paid for the methamphetamine, Strunk said it was given to her.

Officers asked Strunk if she had been fronted the methamphetamine, to which she replied, “I don’t do that. I just use it.”

Jellison is currently on probation in Noble County for possession of meth.

Both Strunk and Jellison have initial hearings on this case at 8:15 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 20.