When a field officer from Greene County Community Corrections arrived for a random check at the home of a Linton man on home detention, the man was flushing something down the toilet.

Justin Michael Russell, 36, Linton, was arrested by Officer Dustin Cain of the Jasonville Police Department on Sunday, August 16, on a warrant issued as a result of an investigation by Special Deputy Andrew Johnson.

Special Deputy Andrew Johnson is a field officer with Greene County Community Corrections.

Justin Russell has been a participant in the Home Detention Program of Greene County Community Corrections.

Last Tuesday afternoon, August 11, around 4:45 p.m., Deputy Johnson knocked on the door of Russell’s residence on State Road 59 in the Linton area to perform a random home inspection. A family member invited the deputy in and called out to Russell that “… Andrew is here to see you.” Deputy Johnson said Russell answered back, “Hang on, I have to pee.”

At that point Deputy Johnson walked through the house to Russell’s area and walked into the bathroom area where he said he saw something floating in the toilet.

Deputy Johnson ordered Russell to remove the item from the toilet and put it on the sink. The deputy said it was a small Ziplok bag with items inside along with a folded piece of wax paper. He asked Russell what was in the bag. Russell said it was just an empty bag. The deputy then asked why he was trying to flush it and Russell allegedly said, “It probably has some heroin residue in it.”

The contents of the bag were too wet to be able to field-test but the items are being sent to an Indiana State Police Lab for testing – results pending.

Last Thursday, a criminal case was filed against Russell and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

Russell is facing preliminary charges of: