Staff reports
JENNINGS COUNTY — Two North Vernon residents were arrested for dealing in methamphetamine Friday after Jennings County Sheriff’s Department Narcotics and SWAT teams served a search warrant in Spencer Township following a traffic stop.
Four other individuals were arrested on drug-related charges, and stolen property was recovered, said Chief Deputy Dave Turner.
At about 6:24 p.m. Friday, Sgt. Anthony Maberry stopped a vehicle for an expired vehicle registration in the area of County Road 800N and County Road 200E in Sand Creek Township.
Maberry made contact with the driver, Rodney Mead, 51, North Vernon, and a passenger, Heather Cheesebrew, 42, North Vernon.
Maberry became suspicious of illegal activity and requested Sgt. Allen Ritchie and his canine Vampir to assist, Turner said. Vampir gave a positive alert on the vehicle for the odor of illegal narcotics and a subsequent search of the vehicle revealed over an ounce of methamphetamine, fentanyl and various items of drug paraphernalia, Turner said. Both subjects were taken into custody.
Further investigation led the narcotics team and SWAT to an address in Spencer Township to execute the search warrant. The Jennings County SWAT team executed the search warrant and deputies located methamphetamine and various items of drug paraphernalia inside of the home. Two North Vernon residents, Michael Redkey, 23, North Vernon, and Richard Jackson, 49, North Vernon, were taken into custody at the scene, Turner said. Also taken into custody were two Seymour residents, Joel Shands, 39, Seymour, and Tony Taylor, 43, Seymour. Deputies also located a stolen box trailer, reported as stolen from a North Vernon business in November 2019.
Mead was being held in the Jennings County Jail in lieu of $20,055 bond, on preliminary charges of dealing in methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine, possession of paraphernalia, possession of a syringe, possession of a narcotic drug, maintaining a common nuisance, theft, possession of a controlled substance and driving while suspended with a prior conviction.
Cheesebrew was being held in the Jennings County Jail on a $20,055 bond, on preliminary charges of dealing in methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine, possession of a syringe, possession of a narcotic drug, maintaining a common nuisance, possession of paraphernalia, theft and possession of a controlled substance.
Redkey was being held in the Jennings County Jail on $3,155 bond, on preliminary charges of possession of methamphetamine, maintaining a common nuisance and possession of paraphernalia.
Jackson was being held in the Jennings County Jail in lieu of $3,155 bond, on preliminary charges of possession of methamphetamine, maintaining a common nuisance, possession of paraphernalia and a bench warrant.
Shands was being held in the Jennings County Jail in lieu of $3,155 bond, on preliminary charges of possession of methamphetamine, maintaining a common nuisance and possession of paraphernalia.
Taylor was being held in the Jennings County Jail in lieu of $3,155 bond, on preliminary charges of possession of methamphetamine, maintaining a common nuisance and possession of paraphernalia.
