Bean Blossom woman admits to Bartholomew County meth-possession charge

A Bean Blossom woman has agreed to plead guilty of possession of methamphetamine in return for three other charges being dropped in Bartholomew Circuit Court.

Samantha Kay Gay, 43, originally was charged in Bartholomew Circuit Court with dealing in methamphetamine as a Level 2 felony, possession of methamphetamine as a Level 4 felony, unlawful possession of a syringe as a Level 6 felony, and possession of marijuana as a Class B misdemeanor.

If Judge Kelly Benjamin accepts the agreement, Gay’s potential prison term would be limited to between two and 12 years. The sentencing hearing is tentatively scheduled for 11 a.m. Aug. 31.

When Gay was arrested March 30 in the Columbus Municipal Airport area, she was being sought for a number of drug charges in Brown County, include dealing in methamphetamine.

The Brown County case has connections to the March 9 arrest of Gay’s mother, Lisa M. Simpson, 58, for possession of methamphetamine and two misdemeanors.

That same evening, investigators used a warrant to search Gay’s mobile home, which is near Simpson’s residence.

While a small amount of drug evidence was found, investigators learned within a few weeks that several text messages sent among Gay, Simpson and Perry N. Warfield, 40, of Trafalgar implicated all three in the manufacturing and dealing of methamphetamine, according to a probable-cause affidavit.

Eight days after Brown County authorities issued an arrest warrant for Gay, she was pulled over March 31 by Columbus police officer Benjamin Goodin for a mid-afternoon traffic violation near the intersection of Poshard Drive and Middle Road.

After Gay provided Goodin with a driver’s license that belonged to another person, and then falsely identified herself a second time before admitting her real identity, the officer had legal justification to search both the woman and her Plymouth Neon, according to a probable-cause affidavit.

In total, police discovered she was carrying 13.46 grams of methamphetamine, including some found inside her clothing after she was taken to the Bartholomew County jail, the affidavit stated.

The search also turned up 70 new syringes, two black digital scales, marijuana and several clear baggies, the court document stated.

Bond for Gay was originally set at $250,000 in Bartholomew County. She asked for a bond reduction on April 20, but the request was denied less than two weeks later by Benjamin.

Gay also faces a number of serious drug charges in Brown County this fall.

Her trial in Nashville is currently scheduled to begin eight weeks after her Bartholomew County sentencing. Brown County Circuit Court Judge Judith Stewart has set the date for 8 a.m. Oct. 25.

Besides a Level 5 charge of dealing in methamphetamine, Brown County authorities have charged Gay with unlawful possession of a syringe and three misdemeanor drug possession charges.

If the Bean Blossom woman is convicted on all charges, Stewart could add more than 8 years to whatever sentence is handed down by Benjamin.

The Brown County Democrat, a sister publication of The Republic, contributed to this report.