Wednesday, October 21, 2009

By Anna Rochelle, Staff Writer

A couple from Terre Haute who drove down to Greene County on Monday, allegedly to make a drug deal, probably didn't get the kind of deal they were looking for.

They ran into several members of the Greene County Drug Task Force and wound up in the Greene County Jail.

They are both accused of dealing in methamphetamine -- a class A felony.

Thomas J. Wakes, Jr., 28, and Callie A. Wright, 27, were arraigned in Greene Circuit Court late Wednesday.

Wakes has been charged with: dealing in methamphetamine, a class A felony; possession of a controlled substance, a class D felony; possession of marijuana, a class A misdemeanor; and resisting law enforcement, a class D felony.

Wright has been charged with: dealing in methamphetamine, a class A felony; possession of a controlled substance, a class D felony; and possession of marijuana, a class A misdemeanor.

Officers on the Task Force from the Jasonville Police Department (JPD), Linton Police Department (LPD) and the Greene County Sheriff's Department were all involved in an investigation that led to the arrest.

The probable cause affidavit written by JPD Officer Ryan VanHorn states Wakes was driving a silver Ford Mustang that was stopped. Wright was a passenger and had a set of digital scales in her lap when the stop was made.

When the vehicle was inventoried, officers found cash, star-shaped pills that field-tested positive for Ecstasy (which contains MDMA, a Schedule I controlled substance), pseudoephedrine pills, a glass smoking pipe, a laptop computer, a substance believed to be marijuana and a ledger of drug transactions.

VanHorn wrote that those who deal in large quantities of methamphetamine often deal on "fronts" -- the substance is provided to a buyer who pays later after the substance has been sold.

"Dealers who deal in this fashion often times keep more extensive written ledgers and/or ledgers stored on electronic storage devices. A laptop computer as well as a written ledger of debts paid and debts owed was found in ... Wakes' vehicle," the affidavit read.

The two were carrying other items on their person, including more than 25 grams of a substance, which field-tested positive for methamphetamine, that was in baggies and hidden on Wright.

Linton Police Chief Troy Jerrell said he was proud of the cooperation of officers from different departments working together on these arrests.

"The Jasonville Police Department has really done a good job on this. The Task Force is a team and these officers are stepping up their efforts. They are working together better than I've ever seen in the past and the community is seeing the results," said Jerrell.

Jerrell said the arrest of Wakes and Wright came as a result of an ongoing investigation by the Task Force.

According to the affidavit, officers had been working on another case and obtained information that Wright would be in Linton.

Surveillance was in place when Wright saw a patrol car cruise by.

Jerrell said, "He got spooked and tried to flee."

Wright was pulled over by LPD Cpl. Chad Crynes on the east side of Linton and K-9 Officer Brodie assisted on the scene by making a sweep of Wright's vehicle.

The couple was arrested and transported to jail where they were booked in by JPD Officer VanHorn.

A search warrant for the couple's residence was obtained and then executed early Tuesday at 1441 S. 11 1/2 St. in Terre Haute. The affidavit states items seized included another set of scales, various paraphernalia, a video security system, a green plant-like substance, psilocybin mushrooms, items commonly used in the manufacture of methamphetamine and computers.