Authorities run ‘mass sweep’ for crime suspects
MUNCIE, Ind. (WISH) — Authorities in Delaware County set out Monday to look for more than a dozen criminals to put them behind bars.
A lieutenant for the sheriff’s office called it “mass sweep.”
The sheriff’s office teamed up with state parole officers to target some suspects they’ve been after for months. Officers say they arrested at least eight people.
The team brought bulletproof vests, an officer with a police dog, and long rifles with to one Muncie home, where authorities were looking for a drug-dealing suspect.
“The undercovers are saying that there’s always somebody here,” Lt. Ken Lopez said outside the home.
Lopez said, on that case, law enforcement did not have a warrant to let them barge in. No one answered the door, so investigators are still looking for the suspect.
“We don’t know who actually lives in that (home),” Lopez said. “He just frequents that house enough.”
Investigators had better fortune earlier in the day when they arrested Jonah Lightner for possession of methamphetamine, dealing methamphetamine and maintaining a common nuisance.
Lopez said the suspects are usually not surprised when they see the team of police.
“Everything today has went really smooth. With that said, they’re like, ‘Yeah, I was kind of expecting you,’” Lopez said. “Somebody was going to come eventually.”
Investigators hit another Muncie home looking for a man wanted on a gun charge. Lopez said they did not find him there, but a woman inside gave some possible locations on where he could be.
Officers are still searching for that suspect.
Some of the suspects were wanted for parole violations. A sheriff’s spokesperson said he will not release the wanted suspects’ names.
In addition to Lightner, the suspects caught included Cameron Parsons, Sierra Kirby, Chase Catsor, Stancel Hammond, Kiley Brummett, James Truax and Nicolas Boyer, police said.
