Four people arrested in JNET overdose investigation

COLUMBUS, Indiana – Four residents were arrested at 311 Cleveland Street as part of an investigation into drug trafficking and a report of a drug overdose.

The Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team (JNET) and the Intelligence Led Policing Unit (ILP) received information about drug trafficking in the house, said Sergeant Skylar Berry, spokesman for the Columbus Police Department.

On May 16, Columbus police were called to the home for a drug overdose. A man had presumably overdosed and was taken to the hospital for treatment.

During the course of the investigation, JNET obtained a search warrant for the house. Inside the house, investigators found more than 50 grams of methamphetamine, as well as packaging materials, digital scales, syringes and other drug paraphernalia.

As a result of the investigation, Jessica Comstock, 37, 311 Cleveland St., Dustin Harden, 19, 311 Cleveland St., and Chase Barnhart, 20, 13660 W. County Road 170S, were arrested, Berry said. All are being held without bail in the Bartholomew County Jail, jail officials said.

The provisional fees include:

Harden: Maintaining a public nuisance, a Level 6 felony, and possession of a controlled substance, a Level 6 felony

Barnhart: Visiting a public nuisance, Class B misdemeanor

Keith Cherry, 35, address unavailable, was not home at the time, but as a result of this investigation, an arrest warrant was issued. On May 30, investigators from the Intelligence Led Policing Unit located Cherry at 5271 S. Pine St. and took him into custody on his warrant for trafficking methamphetamine (a Level 2 felony) and maintaining a public order (a Level 6 felony).

Comstock: Trafficking in methamphetamine, a Level 2 felony, possession of methamphetamine, a Level 3 felony, maintaining a public disorder, a Level 6 felony, neglect of a dependent person, a Level 6 felony, possession of a syringe, a Level 6 felony, and possession of paraphernalia, a Class C misdemeanor.

The Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team, a joint unit of the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office, Columbus Police Department and Bartholomew County Prosecutor’s Office, targets the production and abuse of dangerous drugs in Columbus and Bartholomew County.