Peru man faces multiple drug, gun charges
Jun. 8—PERU — Police arrested a Peru man this week after they say authorities located drugs and several illegally owned guns at his Miami County residence.
Blaine J. O'Neil, 55, is now facing four level 5 felony charges of unlawful possession of a handgun with a prior felony conviction, a single level 5 felony charge of possession of a narcotic drug and a single misdemeanor charge of possession of marijuana, according to online court records.
On May 26, officers from the Peru Police Department responded to O'Neil's residence in the 300 block of West Second Street in Peru for an unrelated incident, per a department press release.
O'Neil, according to arrest records and Indiana statute, has at least one previous felony conviction, which makes him ineligible to legally possess a firearm, the release noted.
However, police in the release stated they observed several firearms in plain sight when they arrived at the residence.
After discovering the guns and O'Neil's previous felony conviction, investigators eventually obtained a search warrant for the property, the release stated.
On June 1, officers and detectives executed that warrant and ended up seizing several illegal drugs, five handguns, nine rifles and several more shotguns, the release indicated.
O'Neil was then taken into custody without incident. He was released from the Miami County Jail on $2,300 cash bond.
He has an initial hearing at 2 p.m. June 29 inside Miami Superior Court 2.
