Fifteen people in total were arrested Friday morning, accused of several charges including dealing in prescription drugs, methamphetamine, and marijuana. One of the suspects is a former Crawford County Sheriff.
The suspects were arrested for allegedly dealing drugs like meth, hydrocodone, oxydone, opana, and marijuana. It took two years and six different law enforcement agencies including the Indiana State Police, Crawford County Sheriff’s Office, US Marshals Service, DEA, Milltown Town Marshals office, and DNR Law Enforcement Division to bring the alleged dealers down.
At the Crawford County 4H Fair, people looked over the list of people arrested with shock. Notable names like Lisa and Rick Pittman, owners of Lisa’s Bargain Barn, accused of dealing prescription drugs and former Crawford County Sheriff Alvin Crecelius.
“I’m shocked,” one woman at the fair said. “I didn’t really know him, but I am surprised that someone who would’ve been a sheriff in the county at one time would be doing something like that.”
Crecelilus was sheriff in Crawford County in the early ‘90s. He’d been arrested before, in 1998, accused of voter fraud.
Crawford County prosecutor Cheryl Hillenburg says these most recent arrests were the result of an investigation that took two years of hard undercover work; a challenge in such a small community.
“You have to keep a very small number of people involved and that’s hard to do and so many people are related. It’s just hard to do something for two years and not let anyone know what you’re doing,” she explained.
Most of the people arrested were charged with dealing controlled substances, some were charged with dealing meth and marijuana. Of the people arrested some were able to bond out the same day they were arrested.
Arrested:
1. Mary Harmon, 74 Marengo, IN a. Dealing in a Schedule II Controlled Substance (2 counts), B Felony b. Maintaining a Common Nuisance (2 counts), D Felony
2. Melissa “Kelly” Harmon, 38 Marengo, IN a. Conspiracy to Deal Schedule II Controlled Substance, B Felony b. Maintaining a Common Nuisance, D Felony
3. Esther Smith, 55 Marengo, IN a. Dealing in a Schedule II Controlled Substance (2 counts), B Felony b. Maintaining a Common Nuisance (2 counts), D Felony
4. Ricky Pittman, 52 Marengo, IN a. Dealing in a Schedule III Controlled Substance (2 counts), B Felony
5. Lisa Pittman, 42 Marengo, IN a. Dealing in a Schedule III Controlled Substance, B Felony
6. Gail Dillard, 48 Marengo, IN a. Dealing in a Schedule II Controlled Substance (2 counts), B Felony b. Maintaining a Common Nuisance (2 counts), D Felony
7. Alvin Crecelius, 69 Marengo, IN Charges: Dealing in a Schedule III Controlled Substance (4 counts), B Felony
8. Jeremy D. Byerly, 37 Marengo, IN a. Dealing Methamphetamine over 3 grams, A Felony
9. Charles Becht, 48 Milltown, IN a. Dealing Methamphetamine under 3 grams, B Felony b. Dealing in a Schedule IV Controlled Substance, C Felony c. Dealing Marijuana over 30 grams, D Felony d. Dealing Marijuana under 30 grams, A Misdemeanor
10. James H. Graham, 50 English, IN a. Dealing in a Schedule III Controlled Substance (2 counts), B Felony
11. Carl Hines, 69 Saint Croix, IN a. Dealing in a Schedule IV Controlled Substance, C Felony
12. Jennifer McDaniel, 41 Ramsey, IN a. Dealing in a Schedule II Controlled Substance, B Felony b. Maintaining a Common Nuisance (2 counts), D Felony
13. Scott McDaniel, 52 Ramsey, IN a. Dealing in a Schedule II Controlled Substance, B Felony b. Dealing in a Schedule IV Controlled Substance (2 counts), C Felony c. Maintaining a Common Nuisance (3 counts), D Felony
14. Kenny Mills, 46 Milltown, IN a. Dealing in Marijuana over 30 grams
15. Cordellia Patton, 58 English, IN a. Dealing Schedule IV Controlled Substance
