An ongoing investigation by the Greene County Drug Task Force into a suspected methamphetamine dealing operation in Lyons led to the first of five arrests last Friday when a driver was stopped in Switz City after allegedly purchasing meth in Lyons.  

Jonathan Michael Robertson, 23, Springville, was arrested by Officer Bobby Pierce of the Linton Police Department early last Friday, May 14, following a traffic stop conducted late Thursday, May 13, in Switz City that stemmed from an ongoing investigation by the Greene County Drug Task Force into a methamphetamine dealing operation.

In a probable cause affidavit filed in another case, Officer Pierce, a member of the Greene County Drug Task Force, explained that two individuals currently residing in the Lyons area, Eric Cullum and Shiv-Jhon Butt, have been the subject of ongoing investigations in regard to illegal drug activity and in the past month, Task Force officers had gathered evidence that methamphetamine was being sold from their Lyons residence. The residence was currently under surveillance by the Task Force and last Thursday, May 13, a pickup truck left the driveway of the residence. Officers continued their surveillance of the vehicle as it left the area.

The pickup truck was a dark-colored 2007 Chevrolet Silverado with Robertson behind the wheel. Late Thursday, on County Road 800 West just south of Baseline Road, Officer Pierce reported the truck drove left of center and a traffic stop was conducted at the intersection of First and Chestnut streets in Switz City.

Robertson had a driver’s license but said he knew the license plate belonged to a different vehicle.

Officer Andrew Duguay of the Jasonville Police Department, a member of the Greene County Drug Task Force, arrived to assist, along with his K9 partner “Blitz,” and when Blitz was deployed on a sniff around the vehicle, Blitz alerted to the presence of illegal substances.

Before officers searched the vehicle, Robertson said he was going to be honest and he removed a small clear glass vial containing a white crystal substance from a pocket. The substance later field-tested positive as methamphetamine. He also handed over a black metal pill container out of a pocket and it contained white crystal residue.

Officer Pierce reported that during the search, officers found a black Connecticut Valley Arms black powder .50 caliber muzzleloader; a Winchester .22L rifle with silver barrel; a clear glass smoking device containing white residue; a green bottle-shaped smoking device containing white residue; a black digital scale containing white crystal residue; a small black zip pouch containing a clear glass smoking device with white residue, three cut straws and a rolled-up dollar bill; another black digital scale; plus three cell phones.

Later, with a search warrant for the contents of one of the cell phones, officers discovered the most recent Facebook message on the phone was a message sent from Eric Cullum to Robertson earlier that night. The message was the thumbs-up symbol.

Robertson was taken into custody and transported to the Greene County Jail where he was booked in at 6:28 a.m. Friday. He was being held without bond pending court appearance.

Robertson is facing preliminary charges of:

• Possession of methamphetamine, a Level 5 felony, and

• Possession of paraphernalia, a Class C misdemeanor.

As a result of the information and evidence obtained during this incident, as well as other evidence recently obtained, a search warrant was issued out of Greene Circuit Court for Cullum and Butt’s residence. It was executed on Friday, May 14, resulting in the arrests of Cullum, Butt and two other individuals. Part 2 of this story to follow.