A 38-year-old Linton man was arrested Nov. 22 on a handful of felony charges, including unlawful carrying of a handgun with a prior felony conviction within the last 15 years, intimidation, battery by means of a deadly weapon, and possession of methamphetamine.

Justin Michael McDonald was arrested in the early morning hours of Nov. 22 by Linton Police Department Officer Alan Jackson on two charges of unlawful carrying of a handgun with a prior felony conviction within the last 15 years, intimidation, battery by means of a deadly weapon, pointing a firearm at another, battery, possession of methamphetamine, possession of a controlled substance, and possession of marijuana.

On the evening of Nov. 18, a female went to the Linton Police Department and reported McDonald had battered her with a gun and made threats toward her life.

According to the probable cause affidavit, the victim confronted McDonald about having the keys to her vehicle when an argument started. The victim alleged McDonald grabbed her by the throat, choking her and squeezed her throat hard. She alleged he threw her on a table and pulled a firearm. The victim also said she was hit in the back of the head by the weapon.

According to the probable cause affidavit, Witness 1 said McDonald entered the residence and when the victim asked him about a key, he “freaked out” and attacked her. The witness alleged McDonald choked the victim and pulled out a gun. The witness stated McDonald was approximately five feet away from the victim when he pulled the gun and pointed it at her. He stated McDonald pushed her on a table, then grabbed her neck with both hands. Witness 1 stated another witness was there during the entire incident.

A second witness, according to the probable cause affidavit, told officers that after the victim asked about the key, McDonald threw her on a table, choked her and had a gun and threatened to kill her. The details from Witness 1 and Witness 2’s accounts did not match up. According to the probable cause affidavit, toward the end of the interview with the second witness, shut down and said he didn’t want to talk anymore. Officers believed he was being deceitful about being a witness to the incident.

After those interviews, officers were informed McDonald was at Greene County General Hospital. According to the probable cause affidavit, officers attempted to talk to him while he was exiting the front lobby. McDonald refused to speak with officers, stating he wanted a lawyer present.

A third witness alleged McDonald arrived at the residence and got hostile with the victim. According to the probable cause affidavit, Witness 3 told officers McDonald pushed the witness against the kitchen table, pulled a gun, and hit her with the gun. He alleged McDonald pointed the gun at the victim, then smacked her in the head with the weapon. Witness 3 told officers Witness 2 was not at the residence during the incident.

On Nov. 21, a search warrant was applied for and approved for McDonald’s residence to search for the handgun. Per the probable cause affidavit, McDonald is a convicted felon and by law not allowed to possess firearms. He was convicted of theft in March of 2004. In May 2009, he was convicted of burglary. He was convicted of theft in August 2014. In December 2019, he was convicted of resisting law enforcement and possession of methamphetamine.

Officers from the Linton Police Department and Jasonville Police Department searched McDonald’s residence. According to the probable cause affidavit, officers located a clear glass smoking device with burnt residue in a bedroom. Officer Jackson, through his training and experience, wrote he believed the smoking device had an odor of marijuana. Also located in the bedroom were two firearms – black semi-automatic rifle and a black bolt action rifle. In another bedroom, multiple glass smoking devices with burnt residue were found. One of the devices contained a white residue that officers believed to be methamphetamine.

After the search warrant was executed, McDonald was detained and transported to the Linton Police Department.

Due to the items discovered during the search, a second search warrant was applied for and granted for McDonald’s residence. It was executed on Nov. 22.

During the second search, according to the probable cause affidavit, a 2004 yellow Suzuki four-wheeler was located. The four-wheeler had been reported stolen from Washington D.C. in January 2022.

Other items located in a bedroom believed to be McDonald’s due to identifying paperwork and court paperwork found in the room, according to the probable cause affidavit, included:

A clear glass smoking device containing water and burnt residue. The burnt residue emitted an odor of marijuana.
A clear plastic baggie containing a crystal-like substance. The substance later field-tested positive for methamphetamine.
One pink inside a green metal tube. The pill was identified through drugs.com as a Schedule III controlled substance.
Eight yellow round pills and one orange pill inside a brown glass bottle. Through drugs.com, the pills were identified as Schedule IV controlled substances.
A digital scale with a crystal-like substance on it. The substance later field-tested positive for methamphetamine.
A gold metal grinder and a black metal grinder, both containing plant-like material with an odor of marijuana.
Burnt hand-rolled cigarettes with plant-like material inside. The cigarettes had an odor of marijuana.
Multiple colored metal containers containing plant-like material as well as a package of rolling papers. The plant-like material had an odor of marijuana.
A wooden container with a metal smoking device with burnt material inside. The smoking device had an odor of marijuana.
A white slide and black framed Polymer 80 handgun, one 15-round magazine, one 31-round magazine, a streamlight weapon mounted light, and a muzzle attachment. No serial number located on this weapon.
A H&R model 903 handgun loaded with 22LR ammunition.
A palmetto state armory PA-15 rifle loaded with two 30 round magazines. This weapon was loaded with a round in the chamber.
A freedom ordnance FX-9 rifle loaded with a 30 round magazine. The rifle was loaded with a round in the chamber.
A savage 93R17 bolt action rifle. This rifle was loaded with a magazine with 17 HMR ammunition.
An upper receiver to an AR rifle.
A UTG 30 round magazine loaded with 5.56 ammunition.
A black chrome thinkpad laptop and a sky electronic tablet in a soft case.
Multiple currency cards and identification cards of other people.

According to the probable cause, the following items were located in a second bedroom within the residence:

A green glass smoking device containing white residue. The white residue later field-tested positive for methamphetamine.
A metal pan with a crystal-like substance on it. The substance later field-tested positive for methamphetamine.
A purple metal grinder containing plant like material with the odor of marijuana.
A silver digital scale with a crystal-like substance. The substance later field-tested positive for methamphetamine.
A black digital scale with a crystal-like substance on it. The substance later field-tested positive for methamphetamine.
Multiple glass smoking devices.
Multiple glass smoking devices with tubes.
A clear glass smoking device with a rubber tube containing white residue.

Also seized during the incident was McDonald’s cell phone.

After the second search warrant was executed, McDonald was transported to Greene County Jail by Linton Police Department Officers Nathaniel Kilgore and Janzen Franklin.

McDonald was arrested on two charges of unlawful carrying of a handgun with a prior felony conviction within the last 15 years, intimidation, battery by means of a deadly weapon, pointing a firearm at another, battery, possession of methamphetamine, possession of a controlled substance, and possession of marijuana.

He was held without bond in the Greene County Jail until his initial hearing in Greene Circuit Court on Nov. 29 when his bond was set at $70,000 surety with 10% cash allowed.

Also on Nov. 29, McDonald filed a motion for a bond reduction. A bond reduction hearing is scheduled on Jan. 3, 2024.