By Staff
NILES – The presence of drugs within the community is "by far one of the larger quality of life complaints that we get," said Niles City Police Department Chief Ric Huff.
And yesterday the department issued a press release announcing recent narcotics related arrests.
Officers received a tip Friday, June 20 that four individuals were in the Niles area purchasing specific ingredients used to make methamphetamine. Those individuals were found and observed as purchasing those methamphetamine ingredients from local stores, according the release. Niles City and Michigan State police officers took each of the individuals into custody.
Adrian Scott Hardesty, 25, James Edwards Sparks, 21, and Savannah Lindsey Bush, 20, were all charged with maintaining a methamphetamine lab. All are from Elkhart, Ind. Hardesty, Sparks and Bush are being held at the Berrien County Sheriff's Department jail on $10,000 bond. Ryan Patrick Vanator, 26, was charged with maintaining a methamphetamine lab, possession of marijuana and no operator's license. He is being held at the Berrien County Sheriff's Department jail on $25,000 bond.
Seized during the arrest were Xanax tablets, pseudoephed tablets, methamphetamine, marijuana, starting fluid, fuel, jugs and a chrome air handgun. A 2000 Chrysler 300 and $217 in cash was also seized by officers for possible drug forfeiture.
"We have been very fortunate in the city," to have very few issues regarding narcotics, Huff said. "However in the last six months, there's been an increase."
The arrest of Hardesty, Sparks, Bush and Vanator came nearly a week after Niles city police officers began an investigation on June 13 regarding possible illegal narcotic sales on Broadway Street in Niles. A search warrant was served on one particular residence that led to the findings of crack cocaine and marijuana. $62 in cash along with numerous pieces of electronics was seized for forfeiture.
Arrested was a 28-year-old female, charged with possession of crack cocaine with the intent to deliver, possession of marijuana and maintaining a drug house. As of today, the female arrested has not yet been arraigned and is out of jail on bond.