Crothersville Police arrested three area men in two separate drug related incidents on Sunday, Jan. 22.
Receiving an anonymous tip Officer Matt Browning observed what he believed was illegal drug activity at Village Apartments on South Armstrong Street in Crothersville.
Browning said as he pulled into the apartment parking lot around 6:30 p.m. he observed two individuals in a maroon pickup. The driver of the vehicle was Joshua D. Gay, 32, of Scottsburg and Rowdy Deaton, 27, of Crothersville was in the passenger seat, Browning reported.
Rowdy Deaton
The officer said as he had both occupants exit the vehicle and he said he observed a digital scales with some powdery substance on the vehicle floorboard. Browning placed Gay and Deaton in handcuffs and searched the truck for weapons. During the search he reported he found a prescription bottle with no label containing 2 and a half pills.
Browning reported Gay said Deaton brought the bottle into the vehicle from the apartments. Crothersville Chief of Police Brent Turner went to Deaton’s mother’s apartment and was told that Deaton had taken the pills bottle from her.
Gay told authorities that when the police car pulled into the parking lot, Deaton began throwing the paraphernalia into Gay’s lap telling him “I can’t get caught with anything.”
Browning reported he also found small squares of aluminum foil, two with a light brown powdery substance which, after testing, was later learned to be heroin.
Joshua Gay
Browning charged Deaton with possession of a narcotic, dealing a narcotic, violation of the Legend Drug Act and theft of medication
Gay was arrested for driving while suspended.
Both were booked into the Jackson County Jail in Brownstown.
Browning also arrested on Sunday Brent James Baker, 27, of Austin on charges of dealing or possessing a look-a-like substance and possession of a syringe.
Browning reported he saw a car backed into a parking spot at the Crothersville Library at 110 S. Armstrong Street. The male passenger acted rather nervous and spoke in a manner that Browning thought was odd. Browning asked him if he used any illegal drugs. “He said ‘Yes, I did about 5 hours ago. I used aderol and heroin’,” Browning wrote in the incident report.
Browning reported that as Baker stepped off the curb, a small plastic bag fell from his pants.
Brent James Baker
“I asked him what was in the baggie and he replied rock salt,” Browning wrote in his report. “I asked him why he had it on him and he said he didn’t know because the pants he was wearing weren’t his.”
Baker later confided that he intended to sell the rock salt in small plastic baggies. A search of the vehicle turned up three syringes, Browning reported.
Baker was booked into the Jackson County Jail. The driver of the vehicle was not charged.
Anyone wanting to report suspicious activity in Crothersville can call the local tip line at 812-793-2196. Callers may remain anonymous, said Chief Brent Turner