GreeneStreets. Feature photo of a back country road in Greene County, Indiana.


Desire for a smoke leads to arrest on new meth charge

An eastern Greene County man who was out on bond, accused of taking off through the woods on foot to get away from state troopers last May, had his bond revoked today. This came after he was arrested last week by some of the same troopers who said he tried to say he was someone else.

Jesse Dean Burton

Jesse Dean Burton

Jesse Dean Burton, 37, of rural Bloomfield, was arrested by Indiana State Police Trooper Caleb Garvin on Wednesday, December 18.

At the time of his arrest, Burton was wanted on at least two warrants, one issued out of Lawrence County for failure to appear in court in a case involving operating a vehicle after forfeiture of license for life, resisting law enforcement and leaving the scene of an accident. He was also wanted in Greene County for failure to appear in court in the May case involving resisting law enforcement.

Around 5:30 p.m. on the day of Burton’s latest arrest, Trooper Garvin arrived at Burton’s residence on East State Road 54 along with ISP Trooper Chance Humphrey, Sgt. Greg Day and Trooper Matt Hatchett with his K9 partner Axe.

When the troopers talked to Burton standing in front of a garage, Burton allegedly said his name was William Brown and that he was not Burton. Trooper Garvin told Burton he was lying and that he knew he was in fact Burton. Burton was handcuffed and told he was under arrest on the warrants.    

Trooper Garvin reported that Burton then said he wanted to smoke and he also wanted his phone, so the trooper asked him were to find those items. Burton said they were in the garage.

When Trooper Garvin and Burton walked into the garage, Burton motioned to the back of the garage where the items were located on a bench. Trooper Garvin found the items, but reported he also found a container thought to contain THC wax and a clear plastic bag containing a crystal substance that field-tested positive as methamphetamine.

Burton was booked into the Greene County Jail around 6 p.m.

When he appeared in Greene Superior Court for an initial hearing on Monday, December 23, he was charged with:

  • Possession of methamphetamine, a Level 6 felony,

  • Identity deception, a Level 6 felony, and

  • Possession of marijuana, a Class B misdemeanor.

A public defender was appointed to represent him and his bond was set at $25,000 surety with ten percent cash allowed. But today, Thursday, December 26, his bond was revoked in the previous case and he remains in jail with the case in Lawrence County still pending.