Police arrest 6 in drug bust: Local resident calls in about suspected activity

Staff Reports

Local state, county and city police arrested six people after serving a search warrant at a Columbus residence where they found heroin, methamphetamine and marijuana.

The investigation began when a resident contacted the Indiana State Police Versailles post and provided information about suspected drug activity at a residence at 3113 13th St., police said.

On Thursday, Indiana State Police, Columbus Police Department, Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department and the Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team were preparing to serve the search warrant when information was provided that one of the suspects was preparing to leave the residence, police said.

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Police stopped James Franklin Wood II of Columbus as he was leaving in a vehicle, police said. A felony stop was conducted near Gladstone and McKinley avenues, where Wood was taken into custody as well as a passenger in the vehicle, Christopher Tays of Franklin, police said.

When Wood was arrested, police found he had about 13 grams of heroin, three grams of methamphetamine, syringes, drug paraphernalia and a loaded handgun, police said. Tays had heroin in his possession, police said.

After being transported to the Bartholomew County Jail, jail corrections officers located additional illegal items concealed on Tays, including a syringe, paraphernalia and suspected heroin, police said.

Officers then served the search warrant on the 13th Street address, where they found numerous types of unknown powder substances, police said. Due to the risk and potential of fentanyl being present and the amount of unknown substances, officers secured the scene until Indiana State Police lab technicians could arrive.

The lab technicians, wearing hazardous materials chemical protection, processed the scene, police said.

To prevent potential contamination of officers, Trunarc, newly purchased equipment by the sheriff’s department, was used to test substances found in the residence.

This new equipment, using laser spectrometry, minimizes physical contact with hazardous materials and allows officers to field-test substances without physically touching it.

Timothy Dunham, 51, of Columbus was located in a vehicle parked in front of the residence and was observed at the front and rear of his vehicle handling items in the trunk and around the hood, police said. A search of those areas led to the discovery of marijuana, heroin, syringes, paraphernalia and a controlled substance, police said.

Michelle Clark of Columbus, Mackcena Kirby of Bloomington and Whitney Bunting of Columbuswere found inside the house and taken to the Bartholomew County Jail after their arrest on multiple drug-related charges, police said.

Following are names, addresses and preliminary charges of individuals arrested:

James Franklin Wood II, 34, of 6841 E. Base Road, held in the Bartholomew County Jail without bond, on preliminary charges of:

Indiana Department of Corrections Nationwide Extradition Warrant

Maintaining a Common Nuisance

Dealing in heroin

Dealing in methamphetamine

Possession of heroin

Possession of methamphetamine

Possession of marijuana

Possession of a handgun by a serious violent felon

Possession of a handgun without a license

Possession of a syringe

Possession of paraphernalia

Michelle S. Clark, 42, of 3113 13th St., held in the Bartholomew County Jail on $130,000 bond on preliminary charges of:

Maintaining a common nuisance

Possession of heroin

Possession of methamphetamine

Possession of marijuana

Possession of a syringe

Possession of a controlled substance

Possession of paraphernalia

Christopher Lee Tays, 29, of 301 Cincinnati St., Franklin, held in the Bartholomew County Jail on $121,000 bond, on preliminary charges of:

Visiting a common nuisance

Trafficking with an inmate

2 counts of possession of heroin

2 counts of possession of a syringe

2 counts of possession of paraphernalia

Whitney A. Bunting, 28, of 100 N. Hughes St., being held in the Bartholomew County Jail in lieu of $61,000, on preliminary charges of:

Maintaining a common nuisance

Possession of heroin

Possession of methamphetamine

Possession of a syringe

Possession of paraphernalia

Timothy Dunham, 51, of 8161 E. Rockwood St., held in the Bartholomew County Jail on $74,500 bond, on preliminary charges of:

Maintaining a common nuisance

Visiting a common nuisance

Possession of heroin

Possession of marijuana

Possession of a syringe

Possession of a controlled substance

Possession of paraphernalia

Mackcena Gail Kirby, 45, of Bloomington, held without bond on preliminary charges of:

Monroe County warrant

Maintaining a common nuisance

Visiting a common nuisance

Possession of heroin

Possession of methamphetamine

Possession of marijuana

Possession of a syringe

Possession of paraphernalia

False informing