This morning at 10:30, Indiana State Police Trooper James Tret spotted a gold 2004 Kia Sedan traveling at 107 miles-per-hour, eastbound on Interstate 70 near the 21 mile marker.

Senior Trooper Bill Bradbury was patrolling eastbound near the 23mm, when suddenly the vehicle approached the rear of Trooper Bradbury. The vehicle was stopped and during conversation with the driver, S/Trooper Bradbury noticed the smell of what appeared to be Marijuana.

Further search of the vehicle yielded a loaded .45 caliber semi-auto handgun near the driver’s seat and a loaded .32 caliber revolver in a duffle bag near the rear seat area. Less than one gram of suspected Marijuana was found.  

The driver was identified as 26-year-old Raymone L. Melton of Terre Haute, IN. He was immediately taken into custody and was somewhat uncooperative. During transportation to the Clay County Jail, the handcuffed Melton attempted several times to remove his seatbelt and unlock the door of Bradbury’s police commission.  

Melton was preliminarily charged with Possession of Handgun by a Serious Violent Felon, Possession of a Handgun without a License, Resisting Law Enforcement, and Possession of Marijuana. 

The case was investigated by ISP S/Tpr. Bill Bradbury. Assisting were Tpr. James Tret, Master Trooper Don Farris, Trooper Ryan Winters, Clay County Sheriff’s Office K-9 unit, and the Clay County Prosecutor’s Office. 

Under the Law, criminal charges are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

On Friday, September 15, 2017, at approximately 9:45 pm, the Indiana State Police and Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department responded to a two vehicle crash on US 421 near Old State Road 62 near Madison, Indiana that claimed the life of a Madison man.

The initial investigation by Trooper Andrew Garrett, Indiana State Police Crash Reconstruction Team, determined that a gold 2010 Ford Fusion being driven by Kelly Gilles, age 24, Madison, Indiana was traveling northbound on US 421 at Old State Road 62.  Gilles’ vehicle struck the rear of a 2006 Roketa motor driven cycle being driven by Justin George, age 37, Madison, Indiana that was also traveling northbound on US 421.

As a result of the collision, George was thrown from the vehicle and sustained fatal injuries in the collision.  George was pronounced deceased at the scene by the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office.  Gilles was not injured in the crash.

Toxicology results are pending in this investigation at this time.  It is unknown if drugs or alcohol played a role in the crash.

The investigation is ongoing.

This evening at 6:30, an alert Indiana State Police Trooper from the Putnamville Post noticed a blue 1998 Ford Ranger abandoned on the westbound shoulder of Interstate 70 near the 35 mile marker.

Larry Joseph Woods, age 45, of Terre Haute, IN. and Samuel Eugene Crowther, age 48, of Terre Haute, IN. were both preliminarily charged with Possession of Methamphetamine, Theft, Possession of Ginseng without Permission, and Possession of Paraphernalia. 

Troopers recovered under three grams of methamphetamine, methamphetamine smoking devices, and approximately a quart size or slightly larger bag containing Ginseng. 

This was the third time in approximately four weeks the trooper noticed the same vehicle abandoned on the shoulder in a two to three mile section of the interstate. Each time he would check the area, the trooper was unable to locate anyone. 

However, this evening was an exception. After securing assistance from another nearby trooper, the officers located two males approximately one-half mile into the wooded area that were smoking methamphetamine and illegally hunting Ginseng.

The suspects were taken into custody without incident and incarcerated in the Putnam County Jail with assistance from Putnam County Sheriff’s deputies. 

A multi-agency drug investigation has landed 17 people behind bars for their connection to a large narcotics operation spanning from Indianapolis to Muncie.

The investigation began in March of this year and led police to serve 14 search warrants earlier this week.

The search warrants were executed in a cooperated effort with the Muncie Police Department’s Narcotics Unit, the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office, The Deleware County Prosecutor’s Office, Department of Homeland Security Investigations, Indiana State Police SWAT, Indiana State Police Drug Enforcement Investigators and Troopers from both the Indianapolis and Pendleton Districts. 

As a result of this investigation, police seized:

• 1 pound of heroin
• 5 ounces of methamphetamine
• 20 grams of cocaine
• 15 pounds of marijuana
• $88,945 in suspected drug money
• 7 handguns (one of which was stolen)
• 3 rifles
• 1 shotgun

The Indiana State Police arrested 17 people in this case, most are now facing serious drug related charges. All suspects are from Indianapolis unless otherwise noted.

• Marcus Bennett, 37
• Cory Poore, 28
• Joseph Majko Jr., 63
• Michael Campbell, 45 (was wanted on an unrelated warrant)
• Tara Martin, 30
• Buddy Rutar, 32
• John Smith, 61
• Jaquise Reed, 18
• Dontae Lawrence, 19
• Broderick Bullock, 33
• Anton Holland, 31
• Danny Terry, 33
• Alysia Muir, 24
• Richelle Bennett, 39
• David Eads, 29 (Elletsville)
• Letha Kersey, 34
• Vera Kersey, 58

A Parallel investigation conducted by the Muncie Police Department Narcotics Unit resulted in the arrest of Deleware County Deputy Jerry Parks. For more information about this arrest please contact the Deleware County Prosecutor’s Office.

A Seymour woman was arrested today by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department on several charges stemming from investigations that started in 2016.

Teresa L Cantu, 50, of Seymour, IN, was arrested on a charge of perjury, insurance and bank fraud. 

In August of this year, Ms. Cantu attempted to get public assistance for a utility bill from the Redding Township Trustee in Reddington, IN. 

During her application process, Ms. Cantu failed to report all sources of income and property that she owns in Jackson County. 

The trustee’s office reported the incident to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department.  Ms. Cantu was arrested on 9/17/17 for perjury a level 6 felony and welfare fraud a class A misdemeanor.

Ms. Cantu was also arrested for insurance fraud level 5 felony and theft a level 6 felony from an investigation starting in 2016. 

Ms. Cantu had received a settlement check from an insurance company from a crash she had been involved in.  She submitted the false information to the insurance company from her former place of employment, an attorney’s office in Seymour, IN.

Ms. Cantu was also arrested for fraud on a financial institution a level 5 felony from an investigation that also started in 2016 involving her application to have her house in Seymour, IN, refinanced through a mortgage company. 

Ms. Cantu submitted false income information from the same former employer’s office that was used to receive the refinancing on her home.

Reserve Deputy Scott Davis conducted the investigations and arrested Ms. Cantu.

Cantu is being held without bond in the Jackson County Jail.