A local man out on bond after being arrested for dealing in marijuana in October was arrested Thursday on felony drug dealing charges, accused of recruiting a local high school student to sell drugs at Columbus East High School.
The arrest of Papa M. Sylla, 24, 3244 Sycamore Court, was the result of an ongoing investigation into drugs being sold at the high school, said Lt. Matt Harris, Columbus Police Department spokesman.
The arrest led to a search warrant and seizing a large amount of drugs and currency at Sylla’s apartment, Harris said.
The investigation began after school resource officers received a tip about Sylla using a student to sell marijuana and THC vape cartridges at East.
A high school student that Sylla reportedly recruited to sell drugs at the school has been taken into custody by school resource officers, Harris said.
At 3:15 p.m. Thursday, Columbus Police Department SWAT team members, consisting of officers from the Columbus Police Department and Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department, served a search warrant at Sylla’s residence.
Also assisting were officers from the CPD Intelligence Led Policing Unit, Columbus Police Department K-9 Division, as well as the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department. During a search of the Sylla’s residence, officers located marijuana, THC vape cartridges, psychedelic mushrooms, cocaine, as well as more than $20,000 in currency inside the apartment, Harris said.
Sylla is currently out on bond after being arrested on several charges including dealing marijuana on Oct. 28 after the front door of his apartment was shot several times by unknown persons wearing ski masks who attempted to make their way inside.
Sylla was taken to the Bartholomew County Jail on Thursday with a 48 hour hold on the following preliminary charges:
- Felony possession of cocaine
- Felony dealing in cocaine
- Misdemeanor possession of marijuana
- Misdemeanor dealing in marijuana
- Misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance
- Felony dealing in a controlled substance
- Misdemeanor possession of paraphernalia
- Felony maintaining a common nuisance
The Joint Narcotics Enforcement team is a combined unit of the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department, the Columbus Police Department and the Bartholomew County Prosecutor’s Office, targeting the manufacturing and abuse of dangerous drugs in Columbus and Bartholomew County.
For more on this story, see Saturday’s Republic.
