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www.thepaperofwabash.com
April 11, 2012
Two arrested for dealing marijuana
On April 9 at approximately 9:46 p.m., Wabash County Sheriff ’s Deputy Ben Mota conducted a traffic stop for a minor infraction at Vernon Street just north of State Road 13 after being informed by Off-Duty Reserve Deputy David Rigney that the vehicle was driving recklessly. Upon approaching the vehicle, Deputy Mota smelled the strong odor of marijuana, and had the
driver, Justice Shreves, 17, exit the vehicle. The front passenger, Michael Noland, 17, was then asked to exit the vehicle. When Michael exited the vehicle, officers discovered over 30 grams of marijuana in his possession. Two passengers in the rear seat of the vehicle were then asked to exit the vehicle. They were identified as Lewis J. Young, 18, and Damion
Atkins, 17. While Deputy Weaver was searching the vehicle, he discovered 19 bags of individually rolled marijuana weighing approximately one pound. Paraphernalia was also discovered in the purse of the driver, Justice Shreves. Young was arrested for visiting a common nuisance and transported to the Wabash County Jail. Shreves and Noland were arrested for dealing marijuana, maintain-
ing a common nuisance, possession of paraphernalia and for taking a juvenile to a location used for the sale of narcotics. They were transported to a juvenile facility pending charges. Damion Adkins faces charges of visiting a common nuisance. Assisting in the investigation was Wabash City Police Sergeant Matt Rebholz and Wabash County Sheriff ’s Sergeant Tyler
Guenin. During the investigation, it was discovered that Michael Noland and the vehicle he was in were being investigated by Marion and Wabash’s drug task forces in regards to dealing and transporting large quantities of marijuana. The case is still under investigation pending search warrants from the phones belonging to the vehicle’s occupants.
Crime Stoppers requests information regarding Fisher Street theft
The Wabash Police Department is investigating a burglary of a garage from a location on Fisher Street
in Wabash. The theft was reported on April 6. Some of the items taken from the garage were a generator, a
Craftsman chain saw, an Echo leaf blower and a jar of old coins. If you have knowledge about this crime,
Crime Stoppers wants to hear from you. You could receive up to a $1,000 reward if you have information that
would lead to an arrest. Crime Stoppers also pays cash rewards for information on other felony crimes not featured as Crime of the Week and on the capture of fugitives. Call Wabash County Crime Stoppers at 260-5635821 or toll free at 1866-665-0556 and give your information, not your name.
Prison inmate charged with attempted murder of correctional officer Recently, a month long criminal investigation by Indiana State Police Detective Mike Tarrh and Lorna Harbaugh, internal affairs investigator for the Miami Correctional Facility, resulted in attempted murder and aggravated battery charges being filed against Ruben Gonzalez, 39, an inmate within the Indiana Department of Correction. On the afternoon of Feb. 29, Gonzalez allegedly beat a Miami Correctional Facility officer unconscious inside an offender housing unit at the Miami Correctional Facility. Gonzalez purportedly committed the unprovoked attack by striking the correctional officer repeatedly in the head and face with a sock containing a padlock hidden
inside. The correctional officer, a 10-year veteran of the Indiana Department of Correction, was flown by Lifeline helicopter to a Fort Wayne hospital. The officer suffered a skull fracture, a broken jaw, arterial bleeding inside his neck, and has sustained hearing loss as a result of the attack. He faces several months of rehabilitation to recover from his injuries. Shortly after the attack, Gonzalez was transferred to the Wabash Valley Correctional Facility in Carlisle. That is where he was served a Miami Circuit Court arrest warrant alleging one count of attempted murder and a Class B felony count for aggravated battery.
Teens arrested for possessing hallucinogenic mushrooms Recently, a traffic stop by Indiana State Trooper Luke Bowyer led to the arrests of four Miami County teenagers on drug charges. Trooper Bowyer initiated a traffic stop on a GMC Sierra pickup truck, which was allegedly traveling over the posted 45 miles per hour speed limit near 2707 North Eel River Cemetery Rd. As Bowyer was speaking with the GMC’s driver, Jhonathan R. Bellar, 18, Peru, he detected an odor of marijuana emitting from the truck. Bowyer also purportedly noticed drug paraphernalia in plain sight. Trooper Wendell Beachy arrived to assist Bowyer with the stop. Bellar, and his three passengers, were taken from the vehicle and a subsequent search of the truck was conducted. Officers allegedly found a small plastic bag containing psilocybin mushrooms (commonly called shrooms) and drug paraphernalia. Troopers also searched the occupants of the vehicle. They allegedly found a plastic bag purportedly containing psilocybin mushrooms in the pants pocket of Mayson T. Benedict, 19,
Denver. Officers also allegedly found psilocybin mushrooms inside the purse of a 16-year-old female passenger. A third passenger, Aleck D. Akemon, 18, Macy, was allegedly in possession of a misdemeanor amount of marijuana. Bellar did not have any narcotics on his person. Bellar was incarcerated in the Miami County Jail on a Class D felony charge for maintaining a common nuisance. Benedict and Akemon were incarcerated in the Miami County Jail on a class D felony charge for possession of a Scheduled I narcotic (psilocybin mushrooms). All three have since bonded out. The 16-year-old female passenger was released into the custody of her mother. A report will be forwarded to the Miami County prosecutor’s office for the consideration of a Class D felony charge for possession of a scheduled I narcotic (psilocybin mushrooms). A Schedule I narcotic is classified as such if it has a high potential for abuse; and has no accepted medical use in the United States or lacks accepted safety for use in treatment under medical supervision. All subjects are pre-
Akemon
Bellar
Benedict sumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.