Nine individuals were arrested Thursday evening on multiple felony and misdemeanor charges during a search for a laptop at a residence in downtown Seymour.
Joseph Laupus, 70, of Seymour, who owns the building at 116 St. Louis Ave., was arrested for theft, maintaining a common nuisance, possession of a controlled substance and possession of paraphernalia, while Justin Hickman, 36, of Vallonia was arrested for maintaining a common nuisance, possession of a controlled substance, possession of a hypodermic syringe or needle and possession of paraphernalia.
Also arrested was Eduin Recarte, 32, of Seymour for maintaining a common nuisance, theft (for the laptop), possession of paraphernalia and an outstanding Jackson County warrant.
David Burke, 51, of Seymour was arrested for visiting a common nuisance and possession of paraphernalia, while Darryl Booker, 55, Theresa Long, 55, Karen Dubben, 52, all of Seymour, and Matthew Nance, 38, and Corrie Burch, 34, of Columbus were all arrested on misdemeanor charges of visiting a common nuisance.
Dubben also was charged with dealing in a controlled substance in a Jackson County Sheriff Department case, and Seymour police requested Burch be charged with possession of methamphetamine, possession of paraphernalia, prescription fraud and possession of marijuana after she had already been jailed.
Maintaining a common nuisance is a Level 6 felony, while visiting a common nuisance is a Class A misdemeanor.
According to a news release from Lt. C.J. Foster with the Seymour Police Department, the incident that led to the arrests of the nine began when patrol officers received information about an individual who had possession of a stolen laptop being at the residence on St. Louis Avenue.
When officers arrived to investigate the theft of the computer, which belonged to a trustee in Jennings County, they observed evidence of drug use, Foster said.
The officers then obtained a Jackson Superior Court 1 search warrant to search the location for drug-related evidence, he said.
During the search, patrol officers, investigators and narcotics officers reported finding controlled substances, prescription medication, drug paraphernalia, a street sign belonging to the city of Seymour, a street sign belonging to the Jackson County Highway Department and two beer kegs belonging to Rails Craft Brew and Eatery.
Due to the bad living conditions at the residence, officers requested the assistance of the Seymour building commissioner and the Seymour ordinance administrator to examine the location.
Foster said the building commissioner and ordinance administrator were to contact the Jackson County Health Department, and all three entities would work with the owner of the location to bring it up to code.
Officers with the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department also assisted with the investigation.