The local Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team arrested three individuals on drug-related charges after an investigation in the 2700 block of Maize Drive on Tuesday.
Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Deputy Leah Burton and Deputy Robert A. Cooper made a traffic stop for Rodney Varela, 36, Edinburgh, deputies said. A Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department K9 alerted to the presence of narcotics in the vehicle, deputies said.
About 145 grams of methamphetamine and a handgun were recovered, deputies said.
Varela was taken to the Bartholomew County Jail on preliminary charges of:
- Possession of a handgun without a permit
- Dealing in methamphetamine
- Possession of methamphetamine
- Maintaining a common nuisance
- Possession of paraphernalia
- Operating a vehicle without ever receiving a license.
Varela was being held in the Bartholomew County Jail in lieu of $337,500 bond, jail officials said.
A special weapons and tactics team then served a search warrant at the Maize Drive home and detained two other individuals, Jessica Bernardino, 18, Columbus and Miguel Claiborne, 19, Columbus, deputies said.
Officers located about 764 grams of methamphetamine, two rifles, a shotgun, two handguns and several glass smoking devices.
Bernardino and Claiborne were each charged with maintaining a common nuisance and possession of paraphernalia and have since been released from the Bartholomew County Jail, jail officials said.
Another woman was stopped by deputies as she left the residence, and deputies released her, forwarding possible charges to the Bartholomew County Prosecutor’s office.
Deputies said approximately 2 pounds of methamphetamine and six firearms were recovered.
For more on this story, see Thursday’s Republic.
