A months-long investigation into suspected large-scale drug distribution in Kokomo culminated Aug. 7 in raids at two homes, leaving one man facing two Level 2 felony drug dealing charges and a woman charged with maintaining a common nuisance. Investigators say the operation, dubbed Operation Old School, turned up roughly 3 pounds of suspected methamphetamine, about 1 pound of suspected fentanyl, 56 grams of suspected cocaine, six pounds of THC products, and four firearms.
According to the Kokomo Police Department, the investigation began in May and identified 46-year-old Delmar Cannon as the suspected drug distributor at the center of the operation. Search warrants were secured for two addresses, 623 E. Walnut St. and 1021 E. Broadway St., and executed the morning of Aug. 7. Cannon was arrested and charged with dealing in methamphetamine and dealing in cocaine or a narcotic drug, both Level 2 felonies, along with felon in possession of a firearm and dealing in marijuana, both Level 5 felonies, plus maintaining a common nuisance, a Level 6 felony.
A second suspect, Crystal Jackson, was also arrested and charged with maintaining a common nuisance, a Level 5 felony, tied to one of the raided properties. Under Indiana Code § 35-45-1-5, maintaining a common nuisance covers knowingly controlling or maintaining a building or vehicle used to unlawfully store, sell or deliver controlled substances, a charge that carries penalties ranging from six months to 2.5 years for a Level 6 felony conviction, according to Camden & Meridew, P.C.
A Multi-County Task Force Response
The bust drew on law enforcement resources far beyond Kokomo city limits. Per the Kokomo Police Department, the operation involved the Howard County Sheriff's Office SWAT team and drug task force, the Kokomo Police Drug Task Force, the Cass County Drug Task Force, the Grant County J.E.A.N. Team, and the Indiana State Police, spanning three Central Indiana counties in addition to state resources.
The scale of the seizure is notable against Indiana's statutory framework for drug offenses. Under Indiana Code § 35-48-4-1.1, dealing in methamphetamine becomes a Level 2 felony once the weight involved reaches 28 grams or more, according to Justia Law. The roughly 3 pounds, or about 1,360 grams, of methamphetamine seized in Operation Old School exceeds that threshold by nearly 50 times.
What Cannon and Jackson Are Facing
A Level 2 felony conviction in Indiana carries a prison term of 10 to 30 years, with an advisory sentence of 17.5 years and a fine of up to $10,000, per Justia Law, meaning Cannon's two Level 2 counts alone expose him to decades of potential prison time. His remaining Level 5 felony charges each carry a statutory range of 1 to 6 years, with an advisory sentence of 3 years and a fine of up to $10,000, according to the Gibson Law Office. Jackson's single Level 5 felony carries that same 1-to-6-year range, a notably lighter exposure than Cannon's stacked charges.
Historical newspaper records show a 46-year-old Kokomo resident named Delmar Cannon was charged in July 1995 with a Class A misdemeanor for possessing a handgun without a permit following a domestic dispute, according to the Kokomo Tribune archives. Both defendants in the current case are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
A County Already Grappling With Overdose Deaths
The bust lands in a county already near the top of Indiana's overdose statistics. CDC figures compiled by USAFacts show Howard County recorded a drug overdose death rate of 36.9 per 100,000 residents in 2024, the ninth highest among Indiana's 92 counties. Statewide, drug overdoses caused more than 1,200 deaths in Indiana in 2025, with opioids playing a role in roughly 60 percent of those fatalities, according to the Howard County Health Department.
The Howard County Coroner's Office has found that recent accidental overdose deaths in the county involved methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine, hydrocodone, methadone and novel synthetic opioids such as protonitazene, per reporting from The Kokomo Lantern. Local prosecutions of fatal drug distribution cases have carried steep consequences before: in January, a Kokomo couple received a combined 50-year federal sentence for distributing fentanyl that led to a fatal overdose.
Investigation Continues, Tips Sought
Detective James Meyers is listed as the point of contact for the investigation and can be reached at 765-614-3493 or [email protected], according to the Kokomo Police Department. Anonymous tipsters can also use the Tip411 app, and Central Indiana Crime Stoppers accepts additional information at 1-800-262-TIPS.
Whether federal prosecutors will step in given the volume of fentanyl and firearms involved remains an open question, as does whether additional co-conspirators will face charges as the task-force investigation continues. Operation Old School follows a string of recent Kokomo-area busts, including a citywide SWAT sweep in June and a July raid that seized 52.5 grams of methamphetamine in the city's East Havens neighborhood.
