A Bartholomew County man recently was arrested after multiple controlled purchases of drugs in Seymour, police report.

Buddy Ryan Cox, 28, of Columbus faces preliminary Level 3 and Level 4 felony charges of dealing in methamphetamine after an investigation that began in June.

Detective Mike Henley with Seymour Police Department said Cox’s arrest occurred after police made multiple purchases of between one and five grams of methamphetamine from him through a confidential informant. Those purchases occurred at a home on Bush Street in the city.

One of the dealing charges was enhanced to a Level 3 felony because the residence is within 500 feet of Margaret R. Brown Elementary School and students were present, Henley said.

Police then attempted to find Cox to arrest him, but were told he no longer lived at the address where the drugs had been purchased, Henley said.

Officers then received information Cox was in Brownstown, and on Thursday afternoon, Brownstown officers found him walking in the 100 block of West Commerce Street.

During his arrest, officers reported finding more methamphetamine, syringes and other paraphernalia, which led to additional Level 6 felony charges of possession of a syringe and possession of methamphetamine. He also faces a Class C misdemeanor of possession of paraphernalia.

Henley said more arrests are likely as a result of the investigation.

Cox was booked into the Jackson County Jail in Brownstown at 3:42 p.m. Thursday and was being held without bond pending his initial hearing.

A Level 3 felony is punishable between a sentence of three and 16 years upon conviction. The advisory sentence is nine years.