On Friday, January 27, 2023, Senior Trooper Richard Klun was working the areas of I-69 and State Road 37 during High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Awareness (HIDTA) campaign when a vehicle stop resulted in the arrest of two residents of Lawrence County.

The vehicle which was operated by Jamisha Pantoja, a 29-year-old female from Bedford, was stopped for an equipment violation on State Road 37 in Lawrence County by Trooper Ben Burris and Senior Trooper Klun.

During the stop, Troopers also identified Lacie Randolph, a 32-year-old female from Bedford as a passenger in the vehicle, along with a 2-year-old female.

As Troopers spoke with the occupants, they observed indicators of criminal activity and Trooper Klun deployed his Police K-9 Loki for a free air sniff. K-9 Loki gave a positive alert to the vehicle and in a subsequent search, Troopers Klun and Burris as well as Trooper Chance Humphrey located approximately 60 grams of cocaine, 3 grams of methamphetamine, additional controlled substances, digital scales, and a loaded handgun. 

Pantoja was arrested and transported to the Lawrence County Jail for the following charges, 

• Dealing Cocaine, a Level 2 Felony
• Possession of Cocaine, a Level 3 Felony
• Possession of Methamphetamine, a Level 5 Felony
• Neglect of a Dependent, a Level 5 Felony
• Maintaining a Common Nuisance, a Level 6 Felony

Randolph was arrested and transported to the Lawrence County Jail for the following charges,

• Dealing Cocaine, a Level 2 Felony
• Possession of Cocaine, a Level 3 Felony

The juvenile child was released to the Indiana Department of Child Service.

S/Trooper Klun was assisted by ISP Sergeant Ian Portteus, Trooper Ben Burris, Trooper Chance Humphrey, Trooper Jeremy Cox, Trooper Curtis Wilder, Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department Corporal Brenton Trueblood, and the Indiana Department of Child Services.

The High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program was created by Congress with the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988. It provides assistance to Federal, State, Local, and Tribal Law Enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug-trafficking regions of the United States. This grant program is administered by the Office of National Drug Control Policy.

All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until, and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

For the first time in Salem, a Libertarian candidate has filed to run for Mayor. 

According to Washington County Clerk Stephanie Rockey, Thomas Brown III, filed on January 20 and. became certified on January 24 to run for Mayor in the fall election. 

“Friday I went and filed to seek Mayor in the Municipal Elections 2023. I done this after accepting the Libertarian Party nomination Thursday night at our Convention,” said Brown. I stand as the very first Libertarian to file for Mayor. This in its self rewrites political history here in Salem.”

Currently, incumbent Mayor Justin Green is the only candidate to file for the office on the Republican ticket. 

No Democrats have filed to run for any office in the city election which will take place on Tuesday, May 2. 

Libertarian candidate Tina Ransom has filed to run for the City of Salem Council, District II.

Since Indiana primaries are currently a two-party election, Brown and Ransom will be on the ballot for the November General Election. 

The following candidates were certified to run on their party’s ballot for the 2023 municipal election:

• Justin Green- City of Salem Mayor- Rep.
• Sally Hattabaugh- City of Salem Clerk Treasurer- Rep.
• Roger K. Pennington- City of Salem City Council At-Large- Rep.
• Dan R. Libka- City of Salem Council, District I – Rep.
• Dylan M. Moore- City of Salem Council, District II- Rep.
• Steve Crane- City of Salem Council, District III- Rep.
• Gail R. Napier- City of Salem Council, District IV- Rep.
• Randy Lee, Jr.- City of Salem Council, District IV- Rep.

The filing deadline is February 3^rd at Noon and the withdrawal deadline is February 10^th at Noon.