Man busted in Grovertown raid now faces charges in Marshall County
David Howard was 1 of 3 people arrested in January
PLYMOUTH — One of three people arrested in January during the raid of a Grovertown home now faces drug dealing charges in
Marshall County.
The Marshall County Prosecutor ’s
Office charged David P. Howard,
36, of Knox, in May with dealing methamphetamine and dealing in a look-alike substance.
According to court documents:
In late February, Howard sold 0.3 grams of meth in Donaldson to a confidential informant working with the Marshall County Undercover Narcotics Investigation Team.
Howard also sold a second plastic baggie containing a “white powdery substance” to the informant, which did not test positive for meth. That accusation led to the dealing in a look-alike substance charge.
Howard’s girlfriend, Aimee Swanson, 37, of Walkerton, drove him to the drug deal, according to court papers.
Starke County Sheriff’s Department SWAT, Marshall
County sheriff’s deputies as well as UNIT officers arrested Howard, Swanson and Chester T. King Jr., 38, of Grovertown, during the raid of a home in the 11000 East block of C.R. 300 North in Starke County in mid-january.
During a search of the residence, officers discovered an SKS semi-automatic rifle, a 22-caliber rifle, a shotgun, a 9mm semi-automatic rifle and a 38-caliber pistol, Sheriff Bill Dulin previously said in a news release. They also found two pellet pistols and a pellet rifle.
Officers also found 19.25 grams of methamphetamine with a street value of nearly $2,000, 0.75 grams of heroin worth $150, four grams of marijuana and several prescription pills. They also discovered scales and various drug paraphernalia, according to the release.
The Starke County Prosecutor ’s Office charged King with dealing methamphetamine, possession of meth, unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon, possession of a narcotic drug, maintaining a common nuisance and a misdemeanor count of possession of paraphernalia.
In May, King filed a plea agreement with the prosecutor’s office. The terms of the plea weren’t available. He had been scheduled to formally plead guilty and be sentenced Wednesday, according to court records. However it wasn’t immediately clear if that hearing took place.
King remained in the Starke County Jail late Friday. Starke County prosecutors charged Swanson with possession of a narcotic drug and possession of meth. She’s also charged with misdemeanor counts of possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana and visiting a common nuisance.
Her case has not yet been resolved. She has since posted bond and been released. She could not be reached.
The most serious charge against Howard is the dealing meth charge. It is a Level 4 felony, which is punishable by two to 12 years if convicted.
Howard is scheduled to make an initial appearance in Marshall Superior Court I at 9 a.m. Tuesday. He remained in the Marshall County Jail on $25,000 cash bond late Friday.