By Liz Shepherd
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — Following several months of extensive covert narcotic investigations conducted by the NET43 Drug Task Force, multiple Kosciusko County law enforcement agencies partnered for a warrant blitz last week.

During the course of the operation, officers obtained additional search warrants, resulting in the seizure of the following:

• 177.92 grams of methamphetamine, with an estimated street value of $7,500
• 3.11 grams of cocaine, with an estimated street value of $265
• 489.81 grams of marijuana, with an estimated street value of $6,500
• 1.95 grams of heroin, with an estimated street value of $400
• 2.26 grams of fentanyl, with an estimated street value of $850
• one firearm
• $5,958 in cash
• eight vehicles

 

Participating agencies include the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office, NET43, the Kosciusko County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, the Indiana State Police, Mentone Police Department, North Webster Police Department, Pierceton Police Department, Warsaw Police Department and Winona Lake Police Department.

All arrests occurred without further incident and all suspects were taken to the Kosciusko County Jail, with the exception of Kevin Gibson, who is currently incarcerated in the Allen County Jail.

Nathan Yoder and Austin King had new warrants that were served to them in jail for additional charges.

The Kosciusko County Prosecutor’s Office advises that all defendants’ charges are merely accusations and that defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Narcotics Enforcement Team (NET) 43 is a collaborative law enforcement unit, consisting of officers from the Warsaw and Winona Lake Police Departments, the Indiana State Police and the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office. If you have information on suspicious drug activity, drug trafficking or drug suspects, contact NET43 at [email protected] or by telephone at (574) 372-2494.

The following people were served warrants and/or arrested during the warrant blitz:

Name: George Prater, 38, Warsaw
Charges: possession of methamphetamine; possession of paraphernalia; driving while suspended
Arrest Date: Oct. 7

Summary: On July 22, a Pierceton Police officer saw a vehicle speeding on US 30. The officer pulled the vehicle over and identified the driver as Prater. Dispatch informed the officer that Prater has a suspended driver’s license.

A K-9 unit alerted to illegal substances in the vehicle. While searching the vehicle, officers found a plastic bag containing methamphetamine and a glass smoking device.

 

 

 

Name: Kyle Steven Ousley, 27, Warsaw
Charges: two counts of dealing in methamphetamine; possession of methamphetamine; possession of paraphernalia
Arrest Date: Oct. 8

Name: Austin Lee King, 29, Warsaw
Charges: dealing in methamphetamine; possession of methamphetamine
Arrest Date: Sept. 23

Summary: On Sept. 23, a Pierceton Police officer was informed by a NET43 unit that a vehicle had failed to signal a lane change. The Pierceton officer pulled the vehicle over and identified the driver as King and the passenger as Ousley. A K-9 unit alerted for illegal narcotics in the vehicle; the vehicle was then searched.

In the vehicle, officers found bags containing more than 18 grams of methamphetamine, as well as drug paraphernalia. King called Ousley from the Kosciusko County Jail and told him he took responsibility for the drugs and paraphernalia.

Ousley is also charged in a separate case involving drug dealing. Sometime during September, a NET43 informant said they had agreed to purchase methamphetamine from Ousley at a gas station. The informant met Ousley at the gas station and purchased more than seven grams of methamphetamine from Ousley with NET43 documented funds. King was also present during the transaction but is not facing any criminal charges in the incident.

 

Name: Shanelle Diane Byrer, 26, Pierceton
Charges: dealing in methamphetamine; possession of methamphetamine
Arrest Date: Oct. 8

Summary: Sometime in February, a NET43 informant said they had agreed to purchase two ounces of methamphetamine from Byrer for $1,300. The informant met Byrer at a local gas station and used NET43 documented funds to purchase methamphetamine. Byrer entered the informant’s vehicle and sold the informant methamphetamine. The combined weight of the methamphetamine was more than 61 grams.

 

 

 

Name: Valente Ceballos, Jr., 36, Warsaw
Charges: dealing in methamphetamine; possession of methamphetamine
Arrest Date: Oct. 8

Summary: Sometime in September, a NET43 informant said they had agreed to purchase methamphetamine from Ceballos at his residence. Using NET43 documented funds, the informant purchased more than four grams of methamphetamine from Ceballos.

 

 

 

 

Name: Marcus Brent Lemaster, 49, Warsaw
Charges: two counts of dealing in methamphetamine; two counts of possession of methamphetamine
Arrest Date: Oct. 8

Summary: Sometime in September, a NET43 informant said they had agreed to purchase methamphetamine from Lemaster at a local store. The informant used NET43 documented funds to purchase more than three grams of methamphetamine from Lemaster.

A second incident also occurred in September where the informant purchased methamphetamine from Lemaster at a local store. The informant used NET43 documented funds to purchase more than seven grams of methamphetamine from Lemaster.

 

Name: Ronnie Qudon Moore, 33, Winona Lake
Charges: dealing in a narcotic drug; dealing in methamphetamine; possession of a narcotic drug; possession of methamphetamine
Arrest Date: Oct. 8

Summary: Sometime in August, a NET43 informant said they had agreed to purchase methamphetamine and heroin from Moore at his residence. The informant used NET43 documented funds to purchase more than three grams of methamphetamine and more than six grams of heroin from Moore.

 

 

 

 

Name: Anthony Wayne Pollard, Jr., 54, Pierceton
Charge: theft
Arrest Date: Oct. 8

Summary: On Sept. 21, a Kosciusko County Sheriff’s officer was contacted by Kosciusko County REMC about a customer, later identified as Pollard, disabling the utility meter on their home.

REMC employees advised they received notification on Sept. 18 of a meter box being removed at a residence. REMC provided a picture of the meter box removed at the residence, with wires installed to continue using the power. Cost estimates to repair the meter and pay for the stolen power are estimated at $215.43.

 

 

Name: Alfred Walter Paul McDonald, 54, Warsaw
Charges: dealing methamphetamine; probation violation
Arrest Date: Oct. 8

Summary: A high-speed police pursuit in August resulted in the discovery of a significant amount of drugs and paraphernalia.

 

 

 

 

 

Name: Kevin Daniel Gibson, 34, Warsaw
Charges: dealing in a look-a-like substance; possession of a look-a-like substance
Arrest Date: Oct. 8

Summary: Sometime in August, a NET43 informant said they had agreed to purchase methamphetamine from Gibson. The informant used NET43 documented funds to purchase more than two grams of a look-a-like substance from Gibson at his residence. The informant later contacted Gibson about the purchase and said the substance was not methamphetamine. Gibson claimed that he did not know the substance was fake and said he would make it up to the informant at a later date.

 

 

 

Name: Nathan Richard Yoder, 33, Pierceton
Charges: dealing in a narcotic drug; possession of a narcotic drug
Arrest Date: Oct. 8

Summary: Sometime in August, a NET43 informant said they had agreed to purchase heroin from Yoder at a local store. The informant used NET43 documented funds to purchase more than one gram of heroin from Yoder.

 

 

 

 

Name: Christian Robert Johnson, 32, Warsaw
Charges: dealing in methamphetamine; possession of methamphetamine
Arrest Date: Oct. 9

Summary: Sometime in July, a NET43 informant said they had agreed to purchase methamphetamine from Johnson. The informant picked Johnson up at a predetermined location. Johnson then requested the informant drop him off at Walmart. The informant used NET43 documented funds to purchase more than two grams of methamphetamine from Johnson.

 

 

 

Name: Elgin John Edmond Smiley, 30, Warsaw
Charges: two counts of dealing in methamphetamine; two counts of possession of methamphetamine
Arrest Date: Oct. 9

Summary: Sometime in June, a NET43 informant said they had agreed to purchase methamphetamine from Smiley at his residence. The informant used NET43 documented funds to purchase more than four grams of methamphetamine from Smiley.

On another occasion in June, the NET43 informant said they had agreed to purchase methamphetamine from Smiley again. The informant used NET43 documented funds to purchase more than one gram of methamphetamine from Smiley.

 

 

The following people were also arrested during the blitz; however, as of this report, no details on their cases were available:

Name: Chadd Leroy Shumaker, 38, Warsaw
Charge: visiting a common nuisance
Arrest Date: Oct. 8

Name: Dennis Dean Meade, 53, Warsaw
Charge: possession of methamphetamine
Arrest Date: Oct. 8

Name: James Elmer Meyer, 59, Milford
Charge: probation violation
Arrest Date: Oct. 8

Name: Jamie Melissa Miller, 40, Warsaw
Charges: possession of methamphetamine; possession of paraphernalia; visiting a common nuisance
Arrest Date: Oct. 8

Name: Jason Duane Boxell, 36, Fort Wayne
Charges: possession of methamphetamine; possession of paraphernalia with a prior
Arrest Date: Oct. 8

Name: Justin Nathan Frazier, 23, Warsaw
Charge: possession of methamphetamine
Arrest Date: Oct. 8

Name: Katreena Renae Torres, 35, Warsaw
Charge: probation violation
Arrest Date: Oct. 8

Name: Keagan Eric Deaner, 18, Warsaw
Charges: possession of methamphetamine; visiting a common nuisance; possession of paraphernalia
Arrest Date: Oct. 8

Name: Laini Michelle Roberts, 27, Warsaw
Charges: two counts of probation violation
Arrest Date: Oct. 8

Name: Ricky Derrll Daniels, 60, Warsaw
Charge: dealing methamphetamine
Arrest Date: Oct. 8

Name: Todd Douglas Metz, 47, Leesburg
Charges: possession of paraphernalia; possession of marijuana
Arrest Date: Oct. 8

Name: Wesley Wayne McConnehey, 29, Fort Wayne
Charge: possession of methamphetamine
Arrest Date: Oct. 8

Name: Jared Marc Borkholder, 35, Shipshewana
Charges: dealing methamphetamine; dealing cocaine or a narcotic drug; possession of paraphernalia; unlawful possession of a firearm by a dangerous person; resisting law enforcement
Arrest Date: Oct. 11