MUNCIE, Ind. — A recent raid by members of the Muncie-Delaware County Drug Task Force, and a related traffic stop, led to three drug-dealing charges being filed this week against a Muncie man.
On Sept. 12, investigators with the task force received a warrant to search a home in the 1800 block of West 16th Street, where they maintained 38-year-old John David Patterson had been dealing fentanyl.
Patterson was arrested that day in a traffic stop on West Memorial Drive.
In a SUV that Patterson was a passenger in, officers found a lunchbox containing several bags of "a brown, rock-like substance" that tested positive for fentanyl, along with "white and yellow pills and a large amount of U.S. currency."
The fentanyl had a total weight of 149 grams.
Patterson later told task force investigators he had been "fronted" the drugs found in his possession, and routinely dealt the substances to three customers.
More drugs — including 9.1 grams of heroin and a bag of pills determined to be a prescription medication — were found in the crawl space of the West 16th Street home.
Patterson — who continued to be held in the Delaware County jail on Thursday under a $100,000 bond — was charged this week with two counts of dealing in a narcotic drug, along with dealing in a controlled substance and maintaining a common nuisance.
The most serious of the dealing charges is a Level 2 felony carrying up to 30 years in prison.
An initial hearing in the case is set for Sept. 29 in Delaware Circuit Court 4.
Patterson's record includes convictions for dealing in a narcotic drug, possession of a controlled substance and burglary.
Another man living at the 16th Street address, 33-year-old Chase Andrew Shell, was charged Wednesday in Circuit Court 4 with two counts of possession of a narcotic drug, along with unlawful possession of a syringe, maintaining a common nuisance and possession of a controlled substance.
In other crime news:
Dealing arrest: About 1 a.m. on Sept. 14, a Honda Civic driven by Donald C. Henderson, 45, was pulled over for a traffic offense at Elm Street and Memorial Drive,
A Muncie police officer approaching the car heard Henderson, speaking to someone on his cellphone, announce he would be going to jail.
The Muncie man then told the officer that his driving privileges had been suspended, and that there were drugs and a handgun in his vehicle.
Officers recovered a plastic container with four compartments, two of which contained meth and heroin.
Drug paraphernalia, including a glass smoking pipe, was also seized.
A records check determined the 9mm handgun, which was loaded, had been reported stolen in Henry County.
Henderson was arrested, and continued to be held without bond Thursday in the Delaware County jail.
He was charged this week in Delaware Circuit Court 4 with dealing in a narcotic drug, dealing in meth, unlawful carrying of a handgun, theft, driving while suspended and possession of paraphernalia.
Both dealing charges are Level 2 felonies.
Douglas Walker is a news reporter at The Star Press. Contact him at 765-213-5851 or at dwalker@muncie.gannett.com.
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