April 5, 2021- 8:51 a.m
BARTHOLOMEW COUNTY, Ind. — Thirty-six people connected to a major drug operation in Bartholomew County, Indiana, have been indicted on federal charges, officials said Wednesday, announcing the dismantling of an extensive drug trafficking organization.
The sting, dubbed “Operation Columbus Day,” netted roughly 114 pounds of methamphetamine, four pounds of heroin/fentanyl, 28 pounds of marijuana, an estimated 115 guns and nearly $225,000 in cash, WTHR reported.
According to a news release issued by the office of John E. Childress, acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, 25 of the 36 defendants have already been convicted and sentenced to federal prison sentences ranging from one year to more than 20 years. An additional 23 additional individuals were prosecuted through the Bartholomew County Prosecutor’s Office on charges ranging from possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine to felon in possession of a firearm.
“Federal law enforcement will continue to work with state and local law enforcement to eliminate these organizations and assure the citizens who live in the Southern District of Indiana that we are committed and determined to keep the communities where they live safe,” he added.
The investigation began in 2018 and identified members of a Mexico-based drug trafficking organization who were sending large quantities of methamphetamine, heroin and marijuana to the Columbus and Seymour, Indiana areas, WTHR reported.
Meanwhile, Michael Gannon, assistant special agent in charge for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, called the nearly three-year investigation a “perfect example of law enforcement collaborating at the highest levels.”
“Any time we can remove large amounts of debilitating drugs such as methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, and illegally possessed firearms from the streets, it is a big win,” Gannon stated.
