Staff Report

WARSAW — Two men are facing criminal charges after NET43 officers witnessed a drug transaction in a hotel parking lot.

Jeffrey D. Konkle

Eric Warren Swick

Jeffrey Devon Konkle, 48, 1108 Fisher Ave., Warsaw, is charged with dealing in a narcotic drug, a level 5 felony; and possession of a narcotic drug, a level 6 felony. Eric Warren Swick, 40, 13663 N. Macy Millark Road, Macy, is charged with possession of a narcotic drug, a level 6 felony.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, on March 3, NET43 officers were conducting surveillance at a local hotel when they saw a man sitting in the driver’s seat of a silver Buick LeSabre. The man was later identified as Swick.

The officers witnessed Konkle exit the hotel and meet with Swick in the vehicle to make an exchange. Based on both officers’ past training and experience, the movements that Konkle and Swick made were indicative of a hand-to-hand drug transaction.

An Indiana State Police trooper saw the same vehicle exceeding the speed limit on Parker Street in Warsaw. The trooper conducted a traffic stop at that time and found that Swick’s driver’s license was suspended. The trooper noticed that Swick’s hands were shaking. A K-9 unit was brought in to perform an outer air sniff of the vehicle and the K-9 made a positive alert.

When the trooper read Swick his Miranda Rights, Swick said there might be something in the cigarette pack inside the vehicle. He admitted to knowing that Konkle had put drugs inside the cigarette pack for him and said he was going to sell the methamphetamine in the cigarette pack to purchase heroin, a narcotic drug.

Officers searched the Buick and found foil in the cigarette pack. The foil contained Fentanyl, a narcotic drug.

Konkle was convicted of possession of a narcotic drug in April 2019 and has an active felony case for possession of a narcotic drug, possession of marijuana and possession of paraphernalia in Kosciusko County. 

Konkle was booked at the Kosciusko County Jail June 1 on a $10,250 surety and cash bond. A warrant was issued for Swick’s arrest on May 24.