A multi-agency drug task force hit a Gas City home with a search warrant Wednesday, walking out with suspected methamphetamine, suspected fentanyl or heroin, and multiple firearms. Four adults were arrested on allegations that include dealing, possession and maintaining a common nuisance, while two juveniles inside the residence were turned over to child-welfare authorities. Investigators said the operation focused on suspected drug distribution and followed surveillance and enforcement work by the J.E.A.N. Team drug task force.
In a Facebook post from Grant County Sheriff's Office, Det. Sgt. Richard Sisson said members of the J.E.A.N. Team executed the warrant at 133 W. North C St. in Gas City. According to the post, officers recovered roughly 30 grams of suspected methamphetamine, about 2 grams of suspected fentanyl/heroin, digital scales, packaging materials consistent with distribution, drug paraphernalia and multiple firearms and firearm components. The post identified the arrested adults as 40-year-old Joshua Couch, charged with dealing in methamphetamine, dealing in a narcotic drug, maintaining a common nuisance and neglect of a dependent; 34-year-old Macy Lighty, charged with possession of methamphetamine, maintaining a common nuisance and neglect of a dependent; 42-year-old Tristen Winstead, charged with possession of methamphetamine, possession of a narcotic drug and neglect of a dependent; and 56-year-old Mark Howard, charged with visiting a common nuisance and possession-related misdemeanors. The sheriff’s office listed the case number as 2026-24 and noted that all suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
How the raid unfolded
The J.E.A.N. Team, a joint effort between the Marion Police Department and the Grant County Sheriff's Office, runs targeted surveillance and enforcement operations against suspected narcotics distribution, according to the Grant County Sheriff's Office. Local coverage of previous J.E.A.N. Team actions, including reporting by WRTV, shows the task force often works with the Indiana State Police and the Grant County Prosecutor’s Office on multi-agency investigations.
Children removed, DCS steps in
The sheriff's office said two juvenile children were inside the home when officers served the warrant, and reported that the Indiana Department of Child Services was notified and responded to assist with placement, according to the department's Facebook post. DCS guidance notes that regional offices coordinate emergency placements and protective actions when children are found in potentially hazardous environments, and the agency's state contact page lists resources for families and mandated reporters.
Why the seizure matters
Methamphetamine and illicit fentanyl have driven increased enforcement across Indiana and the Midwest, with regional threat assessments noting rising seizures and more complex stimulant-opioid markets that heighten local risks. The Indiana HIDTA threat assessment describes those trends as a regional shift that has led to more task-force investigations in smaller communities and rural corridors.
Authorities said anyone with information about the case can contact the J.E.A.N. Team Drug Task Force at (765) 664-0019. All suspected controlled substances were submitted to the Indiana State Police laboratory for analysis, and the sheriff's office cited case number 2026-24 for reference.
