A rural Austin woman, charged in a late February for possession of methamphetamine on school property where she was a teacher, was arrested again Sunday, Dec. 4, for 2 counts of dealing in the illegal drug.
Laura Nowling
Laura Nowling, 48, of Austin was booked into Scott County Jail late Sunday afternoon Dec. 4 on a variety of drug possession and dealing charges.
According to the probable cause affidavit filed by Scottsburg police officer Troy Ford, he and Detective Steven Herald were notified on Nov. 18 by a confidential informant of possible drug activity at 3171 N. Slab Road, the residence of Laura Nowling.
The confidential contact was provided with cash to purchase drugs and outfitted with a recording device, according to the court document. Ford reported the confidential contact made a purchase of .8 of a gram of methamphetamine about 6:19 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 18.
A second drug purchase at Nowling’s residence occurred on Friday, Dec. 2 around 1 p.m. when the confidential contact purchased a gram of methamphetamine from Nowling, according to the charging affadivit.
After obtaining a search warrant, police went to the North Slab Road residence.
Two people leaving the property were detained by police while Ford approached the residence.
“I went to the house door inside the garage and knocked on the door.” Rodney K. Draper opened the door and immediately got down on the ground,” said Ford.
Ford said he saw Nowling move from bedroom to bathroom near the sink. After detaining Nowling, Ford said he found next to the vanity a glass pipe covered in methamphetamine residue. On the bed he found a plastic bag containing a set of scales, a cut straw, and a baggy with a small amount of methamphetamine.
Nowling was placed under arrest charged with two counts of dealing methamphetamine, possession of meth, possession of drug paraphernalia and maintaining a common nuisance.
Also charged in connection with the incident were:
•Rodney Draper, 23, of Austin charged with maintaining a common nuisance.
•Cody Williams, 24, of Scottsburg, charged with possession of marijuana and visiting a common nuisance.
•Kayleigh Draper, 21, of Austin, charged with possession of marijuana, and maintaining a common nuisance.
Scott Circuit Court Judge Roger Duvall set Nowling’s bond at $50,000 cash. As of press deadline, all four remained incarcerated in Scott County Jail.