The past year was spent gathering tips, working with informants and setting up undercover drug deals.
And this week, police and prosecutors were ready to arrest 50 people charged with drug offenses.
On Tuesday morning, about 250 law enforcement officers with local police departments, the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, Indiana State Police, U.S. Marshals Service and the Johnson County Prosecutor’s Office, along with 20 K-9 officers, started gathering between 4:30 and 5:30 a.m.
They spread out to find and arrest 50 people charged with drug dealing and aiding in drug-dealing offenses. They found them all across Johnson County and central Indiana, including in Franklin, Greenwood, Indianapolis, Columbus and Mooresville.
Less than 12 hours later, 30 of the 50 were arrested and booked in the Johnson County jail, and officials expected the other 20 would be there in the next 24 hours.
“We hope that this drug bust with these drug dealers will send a strong message to drug dealers that you don’t come into Johnson County and deal drugs without consequences,” Johnson County Prosecutor Brad Cooper said.
The list of people who were charged has been compiled during the past year, Cooper said.
Police used tips, informants and undercover officers to buy drugs, including heroin, methamphetamine and marijuana. In some cases, the deal was for a small amount of the drug — less than a gram — and in others was more than 30 grams, Cooper said. No one was found to be making the drugs, he said.
“We have a lot of people that are dying, not only in our county, but in other counties throughout Indiana, from heroin issues,” Sheriff Doug Cox said. “It is a problem. We know that it’s a problem. We will continue to fight the problem as long as there is a problem.”
He noted that about half of the people charged were women, which used to be a rare sight.
“It just goes to show you how much the drug trade or drug business has taken over families,” Cox said.
The goal was to get some of the drugs and the people selling them off the street, Cooper said.
This isn’t the first time local law enforcement has banded together to make a large number of arrests at once.
The last time several agencies worked together for a drug bust of this size was in 2009, Cooper said. At that time, about 30 people were found in the first day, and another 10 turned themselves in by the end of the night, Franklin Police Chief Tim O’Sullivan said.
More recently, local agencies arrested and charged about 25 people in southern Johnson County two or three years ago, Cooper said.
“It’s no longer each individual agency out for their own,” Cox said. “We all work together now.”
The police departments, prosecutor’s office, state police and U.S. Marshals Service had been gathering information on the 50 people over the past year, Cooper said. About a month ago, officials picked Sept. 15 as the date to make the arrests, Cooper said.
“It takes that long sometimes to cultivate confidential informants and the people that get us into the drug dealers,” Cooper said.
No one was injured when the arrests were made, but firearms were found in some homes, Cooper said.
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The following people were charged or arrested Tuesday as part of a year-long investigation:
Andrea Alvey, 28, 3340 N. Meridian Street, Indianapolis
- Dealing a substance represented to be a controlled substance
Not arrested
Steven Anderson, Jr., 42, 5211 Massachusetts Ave., Indianapolis
- Dealing a controlled substance
Currently in prison
Regina Blackadar, 32, 1846 Lochry Road, Franklin
- Dealing methamphetamine
- Dealing methamphetamine
- Dealing methamphetamine
- Theft
Not arrested
Jordan Bridges, 18, 1284 Hague Court, Franklin
- Dealing a controlled substance
- Dealing a controlled substance
- Unlawful sale of legend drugs
- Dealing marijuana
- Dealing marijuana
- Dealing marijuana
In Johnson County jail, bond information not available.
Joshua Byrum, 30, 330 E. Sanders St., Indianapolis
- Dealing methamphetamine
Not arrested
Maria Chesher, 29, 4982 W. Heathermore Drive, Indianapolis
- Dealing methamphetamine
- Dealing a controlled substance
Not arrested
Joshua Couch, 20, 3815 W. Southport Road, Indianapolis
- Dealing heroin
- Dealing marijuana
Arrested, not yet booked into jail
Matthew Coy, 33, 703 W. Pearl Street, Trafalgar
- Dealing a controlled substance
- Dealing methamphetamine
Not arrested
Bobby Davis, 37, 101 S. Kyle St., Edinburgh
- Dealing a controlled substance
Arrested and released from jail on $1,200 bond
Teddy Dombroski, 19, 1687 Honey Lane, Greenwood
- Aiding in dealing a controlled substance
- Dealing a controlled substance
- Unlawful sale of legend drugs
- Dealing marijuana
- Dealing marijuana
- Dealing marijuana
Arrested and held in jail on $44,000 bond
Daniel Duvall, 32, 2920 Bluff Road, Indianapolis
- Dealing methamphetamine
- Dealing methamphetamine
Arrested and held in jail on $13,200 bond
Shannon Elsey, 35, 325 St. Clair St., Mooresville
- Aiding in dealing in methamphetamine
Not arrested
Thomas Elsey, 37, 6106 Old Mill Drive, Indianapolis
- Aiding in dealing methamphetamine
Not arrested
Keith Fowler, 51, 2071 E. Benjamin St., Franklin
- Dealing a controlled substance
- Dealing a controlled substance
Deceased
Tyler Gadberry, 25, 4554 S. County Road 537E, Franklin
- Dealing a controlled substance
- Dealing a controlled substance
In Johnson County jail, bond information not available
Amber Goble, 25, 2012 Cedar Lane, Franklin
- Dealing methamphetamine
Arrested and held in jail on $16,000 bond.
Ashley Greene, 27, 7042 Tassel Meadow Drive, Indianapolis
- Dealing a controlled substance
Arrested and held in jail on $6,600 bond
Shelley Gregory, 35, 3417 S. Rural St., Indianapolis
- Dealing heroin
- Dealing heroin
- Dealing methamphetamine
Arrested, not yet booked into jail
Amber Hardin, 33, 2020 Redbud Court, Greensburg
- Dealing a controlled substance
- Dealing a controlled substance
In Johnson County jail, bond information not available
Tianna Helm, 24, 413 Capistrano Drive, Greenwood
- Dealing methamphetamine
Not arrested
Tia Hook, 33, 6324 Muirfield Way, Indianapolis
- Dealing methamphetamine
Not arrested
Brittany Hubbard, also known as Brittany Sullivan, 27, 339 N. Euclid Ave., Indianapolis
- Dealing a substance represented to be a controlled substance
Not arrested
Peyton Hutson, 18, 903 London Lane, Greenwood
- Dealing marijuana
Arrested, and being held in jail on $1,000 bond.
Darlene Jewell, 54, 2061 E. Benjamin St., Franklin
- Aiding in dealing a controlled substance
- Dealing a controlled substance
Arrested, and being held in jail on $7,800 bond.
Daniel Johnson, 40, 695 S. Peterman Road, Greenwood
- Dealing a narcotic drug
- Dealing a controlled substance
- Dealing a controlled substance
- Dealing a controlled substance
Not arrested
Ashley Leffler, 26, 5833 E. County Road 100N, Franklin
- Dealing a controlled substance
- Dealing a controlled substance
- Dealing a synthetic drug
Arrested, and being held in jail on $3,600 bond.
Dustin Lewis, 18, 127 Highland Ave., Franklin
- Dealing a controlled substance
- Dealing marijuana
- Dealing marijuana
Arrested, released on $8,800 bond
Misty Long, also known as Misty Brown, 36, 6240 E. Rock Hill Court, Camby
- Dealing methamphetamine
Not arrested
Susan Mason, 33, 6726 Churchman Ave., Indianapolis
- Dealing a controlled substance
- Dealing a controlled substance
Arrested, and held on $32,000 bond.
Melissa Mofield, 27, 4746 S. Illinois St., Trafalgar
- Dealing a controlled substance
- Dealing a controlled substance
- Dealing a controlled substance
- Dealing a controlled substance
- Dealing a controlled substance
- Taking a minor to a public nuisance
- Taking a minor to a public nuisance
Arrested, and held on $52,600 bond
Christopher Moss, 33, 2728 Boyd Ave., Indianapolis
- Dealing methamphetamine
Not arrested
Leslie Moss, 25, 18 Mystic Springs Drive, Greenwood
- Dealing a counterfeit substance
Arrested and released on $1,200 bond.
Sarah Mulry, 23, 7618 Southfield Drive, Indianapolis
- Dealing a controlled substance
Arrested and held in jail on $6,600 bond
Thomas Owens, 31, 9032 S. County Road 600W, Edinburgh
- Aiding in dealing a controlled substance
Not arrested
Krista Parmer, 34, 134 Woodland Drive, New Whiteland
- Dealing methamphetamine
- Dealing methamphetamine
- Dealing a controlled substance
- Dealing a controlled substance
Arrested and held on $45,000 bond
Mathew Parmer, 32, 2045 W. Bridgestone St., Indianapolis
- Dealing methamphetamine
- Dealing methamphetamine
- Dealing a controlled substance
- Dealing a controlled substance
Arrested and held on $16,500 bond.
Shelbi Pirtle, 23, 1562 Younce St., Franklin
- Dealing a controlled substance
- Dealing a controlled substance
- Dealing a synthetic drug
Arrested and held on $3,600 bond.
Kayla Popplewell, also known as Kayla Gossett, 21, 1802 Lochry Road, Franklin
- Dealing a controlled substance
Arrested and held on $6,600 bond.
Tori Redifer, 21, 2141 Galaxy Drive, Franklin
- Dealing a controlled substance
- Dealing a controlled substance
- Dealing a controlled substance
- Dealing a controlled substance
- Dealing a controlled substance
Arrested and held on $17,800 bond.
Brandon Reynolds, 23, 3925 W. Southport Road, Indianapolis
- Dealing heroin
Not arrested
Christopher Robinson, also known as Christopher Corn, 27, 1976 Churchill Road, Franklin
- Dealing a substance represented to be a controlled substance
Not arrested
Nicholas Rouse, 19, 1687 Honey Lane, Greenwood
- Dealing a controlled substance
- Aiding in dealing a controlled substance
- Dealing marijuana
- Dealing marijuana
Not arrested, in Arkansas
Christopher Rowland, 41, 224 Home Ave., Greenwood
- Dealing heroin
- Dealing heroin
- Dealing a controlled substance
Arrested and held on $9,900 bond
Joshua Sanford, 30, 310 Orange St., Indianapolis
- Dealing heroin
Not arrested
Ashleigh Shapinsky, 32, 816 S. Gardner St., Scottsburg
- Dealing a controlled substance
In Scott County jail
Shaine Smith, 47, 413 N. Devon Ave., Indianapolis
- Dealing methamphetamine
Dealing methamphetamine - Dealing a controlled substance
Not arrested
William Sparks, 24, 1628 Cottage Ave., Columbus
- Dealing heroin
- Dealing heroin
Arrested and held on $15,400 bond.
Dawnetta Taylor, also known as Dawnetta Shelton, 35, 1417 Le Blanc Court, Franklin
- Dealing methamphetamine
- Dealing methamphetamine
Arrested and held on $13,200 bond
Levi Truster, 27, 10828 Walsh Lane, Indianapolis
- Dealing a synthetic drug
- Dealing a synthetic drug
- Dealing a synthetic drug
Arrested and held on $3,600 bond
Michael Tucker, 32, 8407 Chittimwood Drive, Indianapolis
- Dealing heroin
Not arrested
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