Meth bust leads to the arrest of 5

SHELBYVILLE, Ind. (WISH) - A Shelbyville Police Officer noticed a suspicious person in the 200 block of Taylor Street in Shelbyville Thursday. The officer approached the man, 62-year-old Freddy Reece, who told him that he was waiting to visit a friend in a nearby apartment.

The officer went to the apartment of the friend, Jason Helvey, who was leaving with bundles at the time the officer arrived at the apartment. The officer immediately identified the packages as methamphetamine. The officer also identified items associated with drug use inside the apartment.

Two people inside the apartment, 57-year-old Karen Hodgins and 57-year-old Randy Jones, were smoking meth, our partners at the Shelbyville News report.

Police also found pseudoephedrine tablets, lithium batteries and a can of compressed air spray in Helvey's jacket.

After police took the suspects into custody, Reece told officers he had brought drugs from Helvey multiple times. Officers searched Helvey's home, where a woman told them that Helvey had made meth at the home before.

At the home, officers found two garbage cans with an overwhelming smell of chemicals. Concerned the substance would blow up, officer evacuated the home and and also helped a child, who also lived in the home, escape. He has been taken in by the Department of Child Services.

Reece is charged with neglect of a dependent, a Class C felony, and maintaining a common nuisance, a Class D felony. He entered an automatic not guilty plea in Shelby Circuit Court on Friday and had an initial trial date set for April. Bond was set at $7,500.

Pardue was charged with possession of methamphetamine with 1,000 feet of a park, a Class A felony; neglect of a dependent, a Class C felony; and maintaining a common nuisance, a Class D felony. She entered a not guilty plea in Shelby Circuit Court on Friday and had an initial trial date set for April. Bond was set at $20,000.

Helvey was charged with possession of methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of a school, a Class A felony. He entered a not guilty plea in Shelby Circuit Court on Friday and had an initial trial date set for April. Bond was set at $40,000. He currently is awaiting a January trial on previous felony charges of operating while intoxicated with a minor in the vehicle after having posted bond.

Hodgins was charged with possession of methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of a school, a Class B felony, and maintaining a common nuisance, a Class D felony. She entered a not guilty plea in Shelby Circuit Court on Friday and had an initial trial date set for April. She was not given bond.

Jones was charged with visiting a common nuisance, a Class B misdemeanor. He entered an automatic not guilty plea in Shelby Superior Court 2 on Friday and had a bench trial date set for January. Bond was set at $5,000.