Mushroom hunter arrested for trespassing

A mushroom hunter accused of trespassing was arrested last Sunday with methamphetamine, a syringe, and a grocery bag full of mushrooms.

Joshua Thomas Sloan

Joshua Thomas Sloan, 35, Bicknell, was arrested by Indiana Conservation Officer Matt Landis on Sunday afternoon, April 18.

ICO Landis responded last Sunday to a report of a trespasser at a rural location in Greene County in the area of County Road 1500 West and 575 South. When Landis arrived in the area, he talked to a property owner who said his family was going to go mushroom hunting when they noticed a vehicle parked by their property. The property owner had established purple paint boundaries and wanted to prosecute anyone found on his property.

ICO Landis said the vehicle was still warm and the sticker on the license plate had expired in 2020. It was registered to an individual from Bicknell. ICO Landis parked nearby and waited for someone to exit the woods.

Over an hour later, a man who came out of the woods was identified as Joshua Sloan. He was carrying a grocery sack full of mushrooms and said he’d been selling quantities of mushrooms lately. When asked if he had permission to hunt the property, he said no. He also said the vehicle didn’t belong to him, that somebody had dropped him off, and that he lived in Linton.

A records check on his name revealed his driver’s license was suspended and he had a prior conviction for driving while suspended. It also revealed that he was from Bicknell and the vehicle was coincidentally registered to someone from Bicknell.

Sloan was detained and the officer told him he thought Sloan was not being truthful. Sloan then allegedly apologized for being dishonest and admitted to driving the vehicle and to knowing his license was suspended.

Before being transported, Sloan was patted down and ICO Landis reported finding a syringe that contained a substance Sloan admitted was methamphetamine. He also found a plastic bag containing a white crystal substance that field-tested positive as methamphetamine.

Sloan was transported to the Greene County Jail by GCSD Deputy Jordan Allor, booked in at 4:53 p.m. He was being held without bond pending court appearance.

Sloan is scheduled to appear tomorrow afternoon, Thursday, April 22, in Greene Superior Court for his initial hearing.

Sloan is facing preliminary charges of:

• Possession of methamphetamine, a Level 6 felony,

• Unlawful possession of syringe, a Level 6 felony,

• Driving while suspended – a knowing violation with a prior conviction within 10 years, a Class A misdemeanor, and

• Use of private land without consent – a knowing or intentional violation, a Class C misdemeanor.

ICO Landis reported the bag of mushrooms was given to the property owner who reported the trespasser.