The Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team, a combined unit of the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office, the Columbus Police Department and the Bartholomew County Prosecutor’s Office, with the help of COPS Unit, the Drug Enforcement Administration and K9 Units, arrested several suspected drug-dealers. Judy Jackson, spokeswoman for the sheriff’s department, says the arrest warrants were the result of narcotics investigations that occurred over several weeks in which the suspects sold narcotics to undercover detectives.
Those arrested:
- Cameron Charles Agnew, 22, 3449 Blackstone Sq., Columbus;
Preliminary charge – Dealing Heroin. Agnew remains in the Bartholomew County Jail in lieu of $140,000 bond.
- Kristen Eileen Parris, 25, 2914 N Peach Street, Columbus; Preliminary charges – Two Counts of Dealing Heroin. Parris remains in the Bartholomew County Jail in lieu of $100,000 bond.
- Connie Darlene Richey, 52, 2401 Fairington Ct., Columbus; Preliminary charges – Two Counts of Dealing Heroin. Richey remains in the Bartholomew County Jail in lieu of $100,255 bond.
- Rachel E. Allen, 30, 5875 E 50 N, Columbus; Preliminary charge – Dealing Heroin Allen was released on bond.
- Jeffery Melvin, II – Dealing Methamphetamine. Melvin is currently serving a sentence in another facility.
- Shawn Michael Asher, 37; Preliminary charges – Two Counts of Dealing Methamphetamine.
Asher remains in the Bartholomew County Jail in lieu of $315,500 bond. - Jonathon K. Villegas, 23, 1691 Wrenwood Dr., Columbus; Preliminary charges – Two Counts of Dealing Heroin
Villegas remains in the Bartholomew County Jail in lieu of $500,000 bond. - Chad E. Phillips, 37, 2893 N Talley Rd., Columbus; Preliminary charges – Two Counts of Dealing Methamphetamine. Phillips remains in the Bartholomew County Jail in lieu of $500,000 bond.
Authorities say that other investigations stemming from these arrests are ongoing.
Sheriff Matt Myers is crediting the department’s partnership with the Drug Enforcement Agency for aiding in these, and other, arrests. For the first time, the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office assigned a deputy to serve as a DEA Task Force Officer. Myers says that this deputy works directly with the DEA office in Indianapolis Office. He says this assignment helps the department’s efforts to keep drugs out of Bartholomew County.
“Our relationship with federal drug enforcement efforts has allowed JNET to investigate crimes they would not previously have had the resources to address, increase funding, manpower and other resources that are necessary for such investigations and increase intelligence information gathering and sharing – all of which result in a more efficient, broader and swifter attack on drug issues plaguing our community”, said Sheriff Myers.
