Howard County deputies say a midweek raid on Kokomo’s east side turned up a stash of suspected meth and landed three people in jail after a task force zeroed in on a home in the 900 block of East Havens Street.
According to the sheriff's office, deputies served a search warrant at the residence on Wednesday and found 51-year-old David Boettjer, 41-year-old Courtney Lowery and 43-year-old Tonia Schmidt inside. All three were taken into custody as part of an investigation into alleged drug activity at the property, authorities said.
What deputies say they found
In a detailed summary of the raid, the sheriff's office said deputies seized about 52.5 grams of suspected methamphetamine, along with other suspected controlled substances, hypodermic syringes, digital scales, U.S. currency and packaging materials during the search.
Investigators reported that a field test of a crystal-like substance recovered from Boettjer’s room indicated a positive result for methamphetamine. All of the items were booked as evidence and are expected to be submitted for lab testing, according to the Howard County Sheriff's Office Facebook post.
Charges and custody
Booking records list Boettjer on multiple counts, including a Level 2 felony charge of dealing in methamphetamine, along with several possession-related offenses. Lowery and Schmidt were booked on a mix of felony and misdemeanor counts that include possession and paraphernalia charges.
The sheriff’s online inmate roster shows Boettjer being held on a $75,000 bond, with Lowery and Schmidt each held on $10,000 bonds. Those filings are preliminary and could change as the prosecutor reviews the case, per the Howard County Sheriff's Office inmate roster.
Investigation and contact
The ongoing investigation is being led by Deputy Draven Browning (#34-108), according to the sheriff's office. Officials are asking anyone with information related to the case to submit tips through the department’s mobile app or website.
The release also provided contact information for Capt. Jordan J. Buckley, along with an email address for both media inquiries and tips. For more details, the department points to its full statement on the Howard County Sheriff's Office Facebook page.
Legal notes
The listed charges are preliminary allegations, and the filing of information is merely an accusation. All three individuals are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. Any eventual penalties will depend on what charges are formally filed by prosecutors and the outcomes of future court proceedings.
