Monday night, Indiana State Police along with the Salem Police Department and Washington County Sheriff’s Department arrested five people – including a homeless female – on Salem’s northeast side with drug-related charges, including three individuals charged with possession of meth.
Arrested and charged were:
Devin Lee Coomer, 26, 1204 Cherokee Drive, Salem
- Failure to Appear on Felony Charge
- Possession of Meth
- Possession of a Syringe
- Maintaining a Common Nuisance
- Possession of Paraphernalia
Seth Andrew Boling, 18, 1610 Old State Road 60 West, Salem
- Possession of Meth
- Possession of a Syringe
- Possession of Paraphernalia
- Visiting a Common Nuisance
- Disorderly Conduct
Taylor James Odon, 19, 4817 Rowney Street, Indianapolis, IN
- Visiting a Common Nuisance
Christopher Dean Harden, 44, 3 Banklick Street, Florence, Kentucky
- Possession of Marijuana, Hash Oil, Hashish or Salvia
Brandy Wayne Melvin, 39, Homeless, Salem
- Possession of Meth
- Possession of a Syringe
- Visiting a Common Nuisance
- Possession of a Narcotic Drug
ISP Trooper Taylor along with Salem Police Department Lt. Russell Wilcoxson and Washington County Sheriff’s Deputy Tory Hildreth arrived at 1204 Cherokee Drive to locate Devin Coomer who had an active arrest warrent from Scott County.
Taylor said in a probable cause affidavit filed with the Washington County Prosecutor’s office that he knew Coomer had been staying in an outbuilding on the property.
Taylor said the officers could hear talking coming from inside the building and he knocked on the door.
“I kept knocking…. and ultimately Coomer opened the door,” noted Taylor. “I detained Coomer at this time, while detaining Coomer I observed a handgun sitting on the counter.
Taylor said he cleared the building for the safety of the officers.
Taylor noted he identified three occupants of the building including Seth Boling, Taylor Odom and Brandy Wayne Melvin.
He said he observed a “cut straw” on the table and based on his training, Taylor said it was common for people to cut straws to snort illegal controlled substances.
As officers were standing around the building to keep it secured, a fifth person approached.
Christopher Harden realized there were police around the building and threw his hands in the air and stated, “I have weed,” according to the affidavit.
Harden was detained and police located plant-like material which they believed was marijuana.
Taylor said he then petitioned the court for a search warrant on the outbuilding.
At approximately 11:39p, Superior Court Judge Frank Newkirk reviewed and signed the warrant, which was executed at 11:41p.
During the course of the search, officers found the cut straw, a black cap with a substance that field-tested positive for meth as well as a trash bag, a corner baggie with a crystal substance that was consistent with meth.
Taylor said officers also found a syringe on top of a cabinet, four cell phones and in a bag claimed by Melvin, a bag with a brown substance that was consistent with heroin.
All evidence was photographed and seized.
All five were arrested and transported to the Washington County Sheriff’s Department and evidence was stored with the State Police.
