State Sen. Erin Houchin (R-Salem) announced the filing of Senate Bill 221, aimed at combating the increasing drug epidemic in Indiana by reforming usage practices for Indiana’s Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (INSPECT).

This legislation has been included on the Senate Majority Caucus’ 2018 Agenda and Gov. Eric Holcomb’s 2018 Next Level Agenda.  

INSPECT allows a prescriber of opioids or benzodiazepines to search a patient’s previous prescription history to determine if they are “doctor shopping” for multiple prescriptions, are using their prescriptions at a rate higher than prescribed, or are at risk for an overdose. Currently, registration and regular searches of the INSPECT system are voluntary.

“Indiana’s Prescription Drug Monitoring Program is a valuable tool in our efforts to curb opiate overprescribing, which directly contributes to drug addiction, and accounts for millions of pills inundating our streets and communities,” said Houchin. “However, in order for it to be effective, INSPECT must be used consistently and efficiently.”

SB 221 would require practitioners who wish to prescribe opioids or benzodiazepines to register with INSPECT and perform mandatory searches, which will be phased in over a three-year period. Prescribers in emergency rooms and pain management clinics would be required to register and search by Jan. 1, 2019, all prescribers in hospital settings would be required to participate by Jan. 1, 2020, and all other prescribers would be required by Jan. 1, 2021.

“Our increasing drug epidemic is reaching crisis levels,” said Houchin. “By requiring mandatory INSPECT registration and searches, we will be combatting opiate addiction at the source, the prescription pad. I am pleased to see this legislation gaining support among my colleagues in the General Assembly.”

This afternoon at 2:21 pm, the Austin City Police Department responded to 408 West Maple Street in Austin to a deceased male located in the back yard of the residence.

When officers arrived they found the corpse of Devin A. Mulley, 37, from English Avenue in Austin, in the back yard of the residence. 

Mulley lived near the residence where his body was found.

Mulley has a long criminal history, dating back to various traffic violations in 1995, theft, invasion of privacy and others. 

Most recently, Mulley plead guilty to Unlawful Possession of a Syringe in 2015, with a previous conviction of the same thing in 2014. 

It is unknown at this time the cause of Mulley’s death, how long he had been deceased and how long he had been located in the yard of the residence.

There were no obvious signs of trauma located on his body.

The Scott County Coroner’s Office took custody of Mulley’s body and will be further examining the body and performing Toxicology tests.

The Indiana State Police with the assistance of the Austin City Police will be conducting a death investigation to make sure there was no foul play involved.

Assisting Agencies; Jennings Township Volunteer Fire Department, Scott County E.M.S. and the Scott County Sheriff’s Department.

Back in 2015, Mulley, then-35, at his father’s house after he had been brought to the house by his mother.

Mr. Mulley told police that he had advised the younger Mulley that he could stay, but if the father “…ever found another syringe, he would call the police,” the probable cause affidavit related.

On January 18, 2015, Mulley’s sister was taking a load of clean clothes out of the dryer. She found a syringe that was in a cigarette pack.

Early on the morning of January 19, Mulley allegedly awakened his sister around 3 a.m. by turning on a light in her bedroom, where she was sleeping with her five-year-old daughter. The sister reportedly then found a second syringe that had been placed in a bag in a dish drying rack when she went to the kitchen. She had gone downstairs because she said she smelled something burning. Her brother had run out the back door, she said.

When informed about the second syringe, the father made good on his statement and call authorities.

An officer reported that the father said his son had an on-going problem and that he was afraid of his son and his purported drug use. The sister said she was worried that her daughter would find a syringe and harm herself.

Police tried to talk to Mulley, getting a garbled story about “…seeing and speaking with spirits…” and that his father was finding syringes “…in the ditch…” and “…plant(ing) them on Mulley to get him arrested.” He also told officers he did not use needles.

Mulley was taken into custody and transported to the Scott County Security Center in Scottsburg. The probable cause affidavit said Mulley’s arms were photographed because they had marks “…which were consistent with marks caused by the use of a syringe.”