Last Thursday, what started as a warrant check at a Kokomo hotel turned into a full-blown narcotics bust, with Howard County Sheriff’s deputies arresting seven people and recovering a 9mm handgun, suspected methamphetamine and other narcotics, the agency said.
Deputies said they went to a hotel in the 3900 block of South Reed Road to locate a wanted man when they reported smelling burning marijuana and suspected methamphetamine coming from a room. According to investigators, they also heard what they believed was a firearm being manipulated inside the room. Deputies then secured the area and sought a search warrant.
In a Facebook post, the Howard County Sheriff's Office said the situation escalated into a narcotics investigation after deputies reported seeing drug paraphernalia in plain view inside the hotel room. A search warrant approved by Judge Blake Dahl of Howard Superior Court II authorized the search, and seven people were ultimately transported to the Howard County Criminal Justice Center, the office said.
What Deputies Say They Found
Deputies reported seizing about $3,260 in U.S. currency, along with a baggie containing approximately 10.9 grams of a crystal-like substance that field-tested positive for methamphetamine. Investigators also said they recovered multiple capsules believed to contain fentanyl, more than 70 pills identified as gabapentin, roughly 73 hypodermic needles and a 9mm handgun concealed inside a toilet.
Those details are listed in the sheriff’s office news digest and match the agency’s public summary of the operation.
Who Was Booked
Investigators identified Jacob Shiraef as a primary occupant of the room and said he was wanted out of Howard Superior Court 1 for nonsupport of a dependent child. Because of a prior conviction, he was prohibited from possessing a firearm, the sheriff’s office noted.
The agency’s Howard County Sheriff's Office post states that Shiraef was booked on allegations including unlawful carrying of a handgun with prior conviction, possession of methamphetamine, possession of a controlled substance (schedule I), possession of paraphernalia and related counts.
The same post lists bookings for Johan Wyngaarde, Niki Marine, Mark Turner, Justin Pavese, Ruth Bronson and Kelseigh Whitaker on various meth-related and paraphernalia charges. According to the sheriff’s office, booking procedures also revealed an additional concealed substance on one person that later field-tested positive, though the agency did not specify the substance in its public summaries.
Legal Notes
“The filing of information is an allegation and persons charged are presumed innocent until proven guilty,” the sheriff’s office wrote in its news posting. Deputy Austin Day (#34-107) is handling the investigation, and the office asked anyone with tips to call 765-614-3407, use the sheriff’s mobile app or visit the agency’s website.
Context
State lab data indicate methamphetamine and fentanyl remain among the most common drugs processed in Indiana. The Indiana State Police forensic unit lists methamphetamine, marijuana and fentanyl as leading items in its 2025 annual report from the Indiana State Police. Against that backdrop, Howard County officials say it is not unusual to encounter narcotics and weapons together during hotel warrant services.
How to Help
Anyone with information about the case can contact Deputy Austin Day at 765-614-3407 or submit a tip through the Howard County Sheriff’s Office mobile app or website. The office said tips can be submitted anonymously and that investigators will continue reviewing evidence as formal charges are prepared.
