Law enforcement officers round up dozen drug suspects

CELINA -Twelve residents indicted by a recent grand jury were rounded up Wednesday during a daylong effort by law enforcement officers.

The day began with officers from the Grand Lake Task Force drug unit and the HIT Squad gathering in a Mercer County Sheriff's Office conference room to share information on those indicted on drug charges.

During the briefing, about 20 officers learned the suspects' last known addresses, if any children or elderly people may be in the home and if any dogs or other animals deserved attention.

"We do not want to upset an elderly person who has no idea what their child or grandchild has been doing," Sheriff Jeff Grey said. "We also want to be aware of the kids that may be in the homes. We don't want any injuries."

After getting information sheets including photos, records and warrants, officers broke into two teams about 9 a.m., and then hit the streets, arriving at each residence as quickly and quietly as they could.

"It's the element of surprise that's on our side," one officer said. "We don't want them knowing we're coming and leaving or making the arrest any more difficult than need be."

It takes patience, information, strategic planning and a little bit of luck for officers to get the suspects, officers said.

"It's not easy," Grey said. "We invest a lot of time into these investigations. Sometimes we can get the person we're looking for quickly. Other times it may take a few days."

No red and blue lights flash, but the squad cars quickly roll up to the scene and officers exit the vehicles, surround the home and take to the front door in a flash. Officers are silent as they approach a home, spreading out to surround the residence in case a suspect decides to flee.

When no one answers the door, officers are disappointed, but their resolve is unbroken.

"We'll be back," one undercover officer said. "We'll get him."

Information has been gathered from other law enforcement agencies, residents and anonymous sources, Grey said. Intelligence has also been gleaned from incarcerated people who know of criminal activity.

Officers are making a concerted effort to keep the community safe by aggressively pursuing, arresting and prosecuting drug offenders, Celina Police Chief Tom Wale said.

"We hope to have continued success and positive results. Our message to the dealers of illegal drugs: Take it somewhere else, we will not tire, we will not rest and we will not quit," Wale said.

Grey agreed.

"As we get better at sharing our information, we're also going to get better at solving other crimes such as burglaries or any crime that involves investigation time," Grey said. "While we're not seeing a decrease in the drug problem in the county, we are seeing fewer people beginning to use heroin. I think due to the activity from our squads and the education we've put out, more people are thinking before trying heroin. As I've always said, there are only two options with heroin, you either die from it or you get arrested."

Those arrested were,

• Ian Lee Hemmelgarn, 36, 4181 Oregon Road, Celina, charged with illegal manufacturing of drugs, methamphetamine, a first-degree felony; illegal assembly or possession of chemicals for the manufacturing of drugs, a second-degree felony; endangering children, a third-degree felony; and having a weapon while under disability, a third-degree felony. Officers confiscated two guns, Grey added. Hemmelgarn was under suspicion after the home he was living in at 416 W. Anthony St. caught fire in February. A search warrant was obtained and items consistent with the manufacture of methamphetamine were discovered, Grey said.

• Roland Dale Mock, 29, 209 Northview Drive, Coldwater, charged with trafficking in heroin, a fifth-degree felony; and trafficking in heroin, a fourth-degree felony. Mock was located at 210 1/2 Fayette St., Celina, and that home was also searched. Deputies located several pipes, syringes and other drug paraphernalia along with 216 capsules of which 53 are suspected of containing heroin. According to Capt. Martin Emerine, the heroin capsules could be worth as much as $1,600 on the street. Emerine said people are purchasing capsules for $3 to $5 in areas such as Dayton and then selling them in Mercer County for about $20 each.

• Simon Rios, 33, 420 S. Main St., Celina, charged with aggravated trafficking of Fentanyl, a third-degree felony; and trafficking in heroin, a fifth-degree felony.

• Kelly Jo Rutter, 19, 7419 Fleetfoot Road, Celina, charged with three counts of trafficking in heroin, fifth-degree felonies.

• Sierra L. Chambers, 20, 751 Deford St., Celina, charged with trafficking in heroin, a fifth-degree felony. Chambers turned herself into the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office after learning she was wanted in Mercer County, Grey said.

• Joshua P. Bernholt, 26, 1010 Hawthorne St., Celina, charged with three counts of trafficking in marijuana, fourth-degree felonies; trafficking in heroin, a fourth-degree felony; and trafficking in a counterfeit controlled substance, a fourth-degree felony.

• Kayla M. Bernholt, 23, 1010 Hawthorne St., Celina, charged with trafficking in marijuana, a fourth-degree felony; and trafficking in marijuana, a fifth-degree felony.

• James Morris, 23, 440 Touvelle Street Lot 2, Celina, charged with possession of heroin, a fifth-degree felony.

• Joshua E. Kittle, 31, 4181 Oregon Road, Celina, charged with aggravated trafficking of Fentanyl, a fourth-degree felony; trafficking in heroin, a fifth-degree felony; and trafficking in cocaine, a fifth-degree felony. Kittle turned himself in to the sheriff's office.

• Biviano Ortiz-Garcia Jr., 25, in the Mercer County Detention Center, charged with two counts of trafficking in heroin, fifth-degree felonies; and trafficking in heroin, a fourth-degree felony.

• Josh J. Tullis, 31, in the detention center, charged with trafficking in heroin, a fourth-degree felony; trafficking in cocaine, a fourth-degree felony; and trafficking in counterfeit controlled substance, a fourth-degree felony.

• Nigel A. Allen, 27, in the Shelby County Jail, charged with trafficking n heroin, a fifth-degree felony; and trafficking in cocaine, a fifth-degree felony. Allen is in the Shelby County Jail for unrelated drug charges, Grey said.