Indiana State Police Troopers arrested two Austin men for manufacturing methamphetamine and other drug-related offenses on Friday, April 18, after investigators served a search warrant on his residence on an unrelated investigation.
Friday morning, investigators with the Indiana State Police (ISP) Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce (ICAC) served a search warrant on a residence in the 1300 block of West York Road in Austin. Ryan L. Napier, 29, and Jonathan Pennington, 34, occupied the mobile home at the time of the search.
While conducting the initial safety sweep of the residence, Senior Trooper Brett Walters observed chemicals and equipment associated with the manufacturing of methamphetamine. Trooper Walters is a member of the ISP Clandestine Lab Team and is trained and familiar with the illegal manufacturing of illicit drugs, said ISP Sgt. Carey Huls.
After clearing the residence, all officers involved in the search exited, and Trooper Walters applied for a second search warrant relating to his discovery of a possible drug lab.
A Scott County Judge granted the warrant, and early Friday afternoon, Trooper Walters, along with other members of the Indiana State Police Clandestine Lab Team, re-entered the residence after donning appropriate safety gear. During the search, officers collected suspected drug precursors and manufacturing equipment as well as several firearms.
As a result of the second search warrant, Napier and Pennington were arrested and charged in Scott Circuit Court with three felonies: manufacturing methamphetamine, possession of drug precursors, and maintaining a common nuisance.
Both were booked into the Scott County Jail. The initial ICAC search warrant was resumed after the residence was cleared and deemed safe. That investigation continues and will be updated if and when charges are filed.
Officers from the Austin Police Department and the Scott County Sheriff’s Department assisted ISP during the investigation.