Nineteen individuals have been indicted in relation to a federal methamphetamine and fentanyl trafficking operation in Indianapolis.

Seventeen of these individuals are charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.

During the morning of July 14, 2021, federal agents and officers from various law enforcement agencies executed arrest and search warrants in numerous locations centralized to the Indianapolis area.

This operation led to the arrest of 17 individuals, with 2 individuals being fugitives. During the investigation, approximately 35 firearms, $70,000 in currency, 1.75 kilograms of fentanyl, 14 pounds of methamphetamine, 6 ounces of cocaine, and 30 pounds of marijuana were seized.

According to the indictment, Jason Betts directed the activities of a methamphetamine and fentanyl trafficking organization in Indianapolis.

Montez Wells and Richard Wells also distributed significant quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine as part of this organization.

Betts, Montez Wells and Richard Wells coordinated their activities by receiving methamphetamine and fentanyl from their sources, sharing controlled substances with each other, and distributing the controlled substances to other dealers.

Individuals in the conspiracy distributed and or assisted in the distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl in the Indianapolis area as well as other locations in Indiana.

The investigation revealed that Betts often received 100-pound shipments of methamphetamine from his source.

“I believe the safety and quality of life of citizens living in Indianapolis neighborhoods improve when law enforcement works collaboratively,” said Acting U.S. Attorney John E. Childress.

“This happens by pooling resources to target, investigate and prosecute organizations engaged in drug trafficking in our community. That is precisely what occurred in this case.”

“This was a win for law enforcement and more importantly, for the community. We were able to effectively shut down a criminal organization responsible for a lot of the violence around our city,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Paul Keenan. “This investigation and subsequent arrests would not have been possible without our federal, state, and local partners.”

Those charged include:

• Jason Betts, 26, Indianapolis
• Jennifer Black, 39, Indianapolis
• Montez Wells, 30, Indianapolis
• Richard Wells, 28, Indianapolis
• Aleshalia Boss, 40, Indianapolis
• Carl Wilson, 34, Indianapolis
• Donta Hampton, 34, Indianapolis
• Rick Coley, 34, Indianapolis
• Colin Johnson, 30, Indianapolis
• David Duggar, 38, Greenwood
• Brian McGee, 42, Indianapolis
• Justin Helms, 41, Spencer
• William Mosier, 41, Indianapolis
• Christina Pennington, 26, Indianapolis*
• Mar-Kel Sampson, 29, Indianapolis
• Asa Vetters, 30, Indianapolis
• Brittany Cocco, 31, Indianapolis
• Marco Uribe, 41, Indianapolis
• Kenneth K. Fielder, 26, Bloomfield*

*Remains a fugitive

If convicted, the defendants charged with conspiracy face 10 years to life in prison. 

A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Indiana State Police, and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant United States Attorneys Bradley A. Blackington is prosecuting this case for the government.

This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

A 69-year-old Greensburg man was pronounced dead at the scene after a dump truck he was driving overturned and caught on fire.

The initial investigation by Trooper Blake Litmer indicated that a 1987 Ford Dump Truck, being driven by Gregory S. King, age 69, Greensburg, Indiana was traveling northbound on County Road 850 East, just south of County Road 400 North. 

Thursday at approximately 6:30 pm, troopers with the Indiana State Police-Versailles Post investigated a single-vehicle fatal crash involving a dump truck hauling stone that rolled over on a rural Decatur County roadway.

For an unknown reason, King’s vehicle ran off the edge of the roadway.  The vehicle then returned to the roadway and overturned. 

The truck then caught fire as a result of the crash.  King sustained fatal injuries in the collision. 

He was pronounced deceased at the scene by the Decatur County Coroner’s Office.

An autopsy was conducted today which confirmed the identity of the driver.  Gregory King’s family has been notified.

The Indiana State Police-Versailles Post Crash Reconstruction Team responded and reconstructed the crash.  The investigation remains ongoing at this time.

The Indiana State Police was assisted by the Decatur County Sheriff’s Office, New Point Fire Department, Clarksburg Fire Department, and the Decatur County Coroner’s Office.

Tabetha Barker, a 54-year-old female from Bloomington, was arrested on charges of dealing Meth. 

On Wednesday evening, Indiana State Police Bloomington District A.C.E.S. (Aggressive Criminal Enforcement Section) member Trp. Matt Hatchett was working a special patrol with Bloomington Police Department narcotics detectives.

During this patrol, Trp. Hatchett conducted a traffic stop on a pick-up truck for failing to signal a turn on South Walnut Street.

During the course of the traffic stop, Barker displayed an inordinate number of criminal indicators.

Trp. Hatchett deployed his canine, Axe, who gave a positive alert on the truck.

A subsequent search revealed that Barker was in possession of approximately 13 grams of methamphetamine, a large amount of US currency, and other items associated with dealing methamphetamine. S

She was also in possession of marijuana and a hypodermic syringe.

After conducting further investigation, including an interview, probable cause was established that Barker was involved in the dealing of methamphetamine.

Barker was arrested and incarcerated at the Monroe County Jail for Dealing Methamphetamine Over 10 Grams (Level 2 Felony), Possession of Methamphetamine Over 10 Grams (Level 4 Felony), Possession of Hypodermic Syringe (Level 6 Felony), Possession of Marijuana (A Misdemeanor), and Possession of Paraphernalia (C Misdemeanor).

Trp. Hatchett was assisted by the Bloomington Police Department and Trp. Clay McBride.

Sgt. Greg Day, the supervisor of the ISP Bloomington District ACES, praised the cooperation and teamwork.

“The ACES and Bloomington Police narcotics detectives have a long-time relationship of working together and producing successful results for the community.  This type of cooperation leads to great things and should be the example of how all agencies can work with each other to help our citizens.”

Anyone with illegal drug activity information is requested to call the Indiana State Police Bloomington Post at 812-332-4411.

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

A Salem man was sentenced Wednesday on felony burglary charges after police say he broke into a downtown church and stole several items, at least one of which he later pawned.

James Walter Lanham, 34, 200 block of Marshall Ave., was charged with burglary, a Level 5 felony, in connection with the January crime, said Washington County Prosecutor Dustin Houchin.

Yesterday Judge Larry Medlock sentenced Lanham to 10 and ½ years in the Indiana Department of Correction for the crime under an open plea agreement.

When Pastor Jason Bontrager arrived at Legacy Life Church, located on West Walnut Street, the morning of Jan. 24, he found the building had been broken into.

The assailant broke out a glass window on the west side of the church and entered, according to Bontrager.

Once inside, the assailant broke into a safe, kicked in an office door, and pilfered through items inside, stealing some things, according to the probable cause affidavit.

Among the items stolen were two iPads, a Fender guitar, Audio Tech headphones, two iPhones (both with cracked screens), a laptop computer, a wooden Takamine G Series guitar, a book of checks from Mid-Southern Savings Bank along with a debit card from that bank and a Capital One credit card in the church’s name.

Through their investigation, Salem City Police were able to determine that one of the guitars had been pawned in Louisville.

The person who listed the guitar was James Lanham and a driver’s license number for him was provided to shop personnel.

When police reviewed surveillance camera footage from Mid-Southern Savings Bank, they saw an individual using the Legacy Life debit card and withdrawing $320.

The person in the photos matched the BMV photo of Lanham. When interviewed by police about the incident, Lanham denied committing the crimes.

Lanham said on the night of Jan. 23 to early Jan. 24 he was driving around with his cousin.

He said the two parked at the Salem Public Library and that he stayed in the truck while his cousin left on foot.

Lanham admitted to pawning the guitar and using the debit card but said it was his cousin who asked him to do so.

When asked where the other items were, Lanham said they were at a building in Pekin.

He told police he had tried to help his cousin log onto one of the iPads.

The PC affidavit notes the police officer had never mentioned an iPad during the interview.

When library camera footage from the night of Jan. 23 was reviewed, police saw a male getting out of a Dodge Dakota that belonged to Lanham’s mother.

The male then walked away from the library and later returned.

There was only one male in the surveillance video, not two as Lanham had stated.

Legacy Life Church is located about a block from the library.

“I want to thank officer Chad Webb and the law enforcement officers that worked this case. Their excellent police work helped to sort out the facts of the case leading to the charges and sentence today,” said Prosecutor Dustin Houchin.

Lanham will serve the full sentence at the Indiana Department of Correction.