August 9, 2024

The Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team (JNET) recently closed out a two-month drug dealing investigation in Columbus, Indiana.

JNET began investigating Benji Smith, 46, and 2514 14^th Street after receiving tips that drugs were being sold from the home. During the course of the investigation, JNET investigators obtained a search warrant for the house on August 8, 2024. While preparing to execute the search warrant that evening, Smith left on a bicycle. When law enforcement attempted to stop him, he fled but was apprehended.

When investigators served the search warrant, Anthony Jeffares, 61 of Columbus, and Kathy Baker, 61 of Columbus, were found inside. They also found over $4,000 in cash, over six ounces of methamphetamine, scales, drug packaging material, and other drug paraphernalia.

Smith was arrested and preliminarily charged with dealing methamphetamine, a level 2 felony, possession of methamphetamine, a level 3 felony, maintaining a common nuisance, a level 6 felony, possession of marijuana, a class B misdemeanor, possession of paraphernalia, a class C misdemeanor, criminal mischief, a class B misdemeanor, and resisting law enforcement, a class A misdemeanor.

Jeffares was arrested and preliminarily charged with maintaining a common nuisance, a level 6 felony.

Baker was arrested and preliminarily charged with maintaining a common nuisance, a level 6 felony, and a Hancock County warrant.

The Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team, a combined unit of the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office, the Columbus Police Department and the Bartholomew County Prosecutor’s Office is proactively targeting the manufacturing and abuse of dangerous drugs in Columbus and Bartholomew County.  All suspects should be considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.