At approximately 10:30 AM on February 8th, Jackson County Jail Commander Charlie Murphy received information that inmate Joshua Edward Riley, 22, of Seymour was possibly in possession of drugs that he smuggled into the jail. Riley had been booked in the day before on a charge of Theft.

Murphy and Jail Sgt. Josh Clark went into Riley’s cell and located a baggy containing over a gram of Methamphetamine.  Sgt. Clark took possession of the drugs and processed them into evidence.

Murphy began an investigation that included interviews with other inmates, as well as a check of jail video and telephone recordings from Riley’s inmate account.

The investigation revealed that Riley had swallowed the drugs prior to his arrest and that he passed them after he was in his cell. Riley is suspected of using part of the Meth before jail officials discovered it.

In a telephone conversation, Riley and his girlfriend were heard discussing the drug and the girlfriend was heard pleading with Riley to “Flush” the drugs before he got caught. 

A request for a charge of Trafficking is being sent to the Jackson County Prosecutor against Joshua Edward Riley. Trafficking is a Level 5 Felony.

The Jackson County Sheriff’s Department conducted an investigation conducted February 1st by Deputy Jeff Walters and Detective Ben Rudolph, which resulted in the arrests of Daniel Hoene, 39, of Seymour  and Freedom Stidham were each charged again for Dealing Methamphetamine, a Level 2 Felony, a Level 2 Felony.

The pair were arrested back on January 29 when Jackson County Sheriff’s Deputy Walters and Detective Rudolph along with J.D. Woods of Jackson-Jennings Community Corrections conducted a visit at the home of Hoene.

Hoene was serving a sentence on home detention at the time.

During the visit, 36 grams of Methamphetamine was located inside Hoene’s residence and on Hoene himself, as well as Marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

Freedom Stidham was also present inside the residence.

After an investigation by Walters and Rudolph, Daniel Hoene and Freedom Stidham were arrested on a charge of Dealing Methamphetamine, a Level 2 Felony.

Hoene is also being charged with Possession of Methamphetamine, Maintaining a Common Nuisance, Possession of Marijuana, and Possession of Paraphernalia, and Freedom Stidham faces charges of Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Paraphernalia, and Visiting a Common Nuisance

Listen to the morning sessions of the Girls 3A Regional at Charlestown High School. 

LIVE on WSLM 97.9 FM and 1220 AM 

Regional Semi-Final Game #1:
Greensburg (20-3) v. Vincennes Lincoln (21-4); scheduled for a 10:00 am (EST) tipoff.

Regional Semi-Final Game #2:
Salem (22-4) v. Evansville Memorial (16-6) scheduled for a 12:00 pm (EST) tipoff; or
approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of Semi-Final Game #1.

Regional Championship Game:
Semi-Final Game #1 Winner vs. Semi-Final Game #2 Winner, scheduled for 7:30 pm (EST) tipoff.

WSLM1220AM is on Mixlr

After the noon deadline passed, WSLM has the official ballot set for the upcoming May primary election that will exhibit several party races for nomination to run in the November primary. 

There will be a three-way race in the Republican party for the nomination to run in the fall for Washington County Sheriff. 

Deputy Wayne Blevins will be seeking the nomination against 2014 Republican Candidate and former City of Salem Police Assistant Chief Roy Overshiner. Overshiner lost to Democrat Candidate Roger Newlon. 

Blevins and Overshiner will also face Republican challenger Tracey England. 

Democrat candidates Bill Denham and Chief Deputy Sheriff Brent Miller will face off for the party nomination. 

There is a race for county commissioner with former County Councilman Todd Ewen facing current District 2 Commissioner Preston Shell for the Republican nomination. 

In County Council District 1, incumbant Ben Bowlilng will be running against Washington County Economic Growth Partnership Executive Director Sabrina Burdine and Jason Cockeril, former Washington County Assessor. 

There will be a race between Republican candidates Jason Nelson and Karen Wischmeier for County Council, District 4. 

Brown Township will see a race between David Brown and Sharon L. Roberts for the trustee position. 

Gary D Chastain and Tom Guthrie will face off for the Democrat nomination to run for the Brown Township Advisory Board. 

Today, two Columbus, Indiana women were arrested on charges related to a death investigation that began on October 7, 2017 when an inmate, Angela Blair, age 42, Elizabethtown, Indiana died while in custody at the Bartholomew County Jail.

The investigation by Detective Christopher Howell, Indiana State Police-Versailles, determined that the Bartholomew County Coroner’s Office ruled that Blair died of methamphetamine intoxication.  

The investigation further revealed that Debin Paige Gabbard, age 27, Columbus, Indiana smuggled methamphetamine into the jail when she was arrested on October 5, 2017.  

Gabbard allegedly gave the drugs to Mary L. Snyder, age 19, Columbus, Indiana.  Snyder then provided methamphetamine to Blair while they were housed together in the jail.  

Blair collapsed and passed away soon after obtaining the methamphetamine from Snyder. 

At the conclusion of the investigation, the case was presented to the Bartholomew County Prosecutor’s Office.  

As a result, warrants were issued on February 8, 2018 for both Gabbard and Snyder.  

Today, the warrants were served on both women who were still incarcerated.  

Gabbard was still incarcerated at the Bartholomew County Jail while Snyder had been transferred to Rockville Correctional Facility where she is serving time on an unrelated charge.

Gabbard was arrested on charges of Dealing Methamphetamine, level 5 Felony, Trafficking with an Inmate, level 5 Felony, Possession of a Narcotic Drug, level 6 Felony, and Possession of Methamphetamine, level 6 Felony.  Snyder was charged with one count of Possession of Methamphetamine, level 6 Felony.

Both women will remain incarcerated, pending their initial court appearances in Bartholomew County.

The Indiana State Police was assisted by the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department, Bartholomew County Coroner’s Office, and the Bartholomew County Prosecutor’s Office.

The initial investigation by Indiana State Police Detectives has determined that the jail staff responded to a cell after an inmate, Angela L. Blair, age 42, Elizabethtown, Indiana was apparently in need of medical attention.  

As the jail staff arrived at the cell and spoke to Blair, she collapsed and became unresponsive.  The jail staff immediately provided her with medical treatment and called an ambulance from Columbus Regional Hospital.  

Attempts to revive Blair were unsuccessful.  She was pronounced deceased by the Bartholomew County Coroner’s Office. 

An autopsy was conducted at Columbus Regional Hospital.  The autopsy and toxicology results are pending at this time.

Blair was serving a sentence for a probation violation on drug related charges. 

Yesterday around 2:30 pm, a trooper from the Indiana State Police Post at Sellersburg observed a white Mitsubishi passenger car traveling south on Vincennes Street disregard the lighted signal at the intersection of Vincennes and Market Streets.

While speaking with the driver, later identified as Russell Miller, 32, from New Albany, it was learned that he did not have a driver’s license and the vehicle he was driving was falsely registered.

 The front seat passenger, Michael Frazier, 43, from New Albany, was also asked for his driver’s license or an ID and he was unable to provide one as well. There were also two children in the back seat of the car.

A subsequent search of the vehicle yielded a shotgun, Methamphetamine and $14,000.00 Dollars in U. S. Currency.

Russell Miller was arrested and charged with Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Methamphetamine while in Possession of a Weapon, Neglect of a Dependent, (Two Counts), Possession of a Firearm by a Serious Violent Felony Offender, Possession of a Controlled Substance and Driving While Suspended Prior.

Michael Frazier was charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Serious Violent Felony Offender and Visiting a Common Nuisance.

Both of the arrested were incarcerated at the Floyd County Jail.