Since Nov. 1, White County had filed charges in 21 criminal cases. Seven of those included at least one Level 6 felony charge, which carries a sentence of six months to two-and-a-half years.
Of the rest of the filings, 12 were misdemeanors and two were part of a criminal investigation.
The two for the criminal investigations both were warrants for blood draws in suspected instances of operating while intoxicated.Â
On Nov. 1, Keith A. Pufhal, 42, of the 1100 block of Foxwood Court in Monticello, was charged with Level 6 felony possession of methamphetamine and Class A misdemeanor possession of paraphernalia after an Oct. 31 traffic stop.
The probable cause affidavit in the case doesn’t state where or when the stop happened, but Monticello police called a K-9 unit to check out the vehicle.
Officers found a Q-Tip box in the center console with a sealing plastic bag inside that had a substance that field-tested as methamphetamine, found a smoking device made of foil and with burnt residue and found three smoking devices, according to court records.
Pufhal has a previous conviction for misdemeanor possession of paraphernalia in White County March 15, and he’s scheduled for a court date Dec. 20 and a trial the week of Feb. 27, the week of court records state.
On Nov. 1, Holly A. Paolone, 33, of the 1100 block of Foxwood Court in Monticello, was charged with Level 6 felony possession of methamphetamine, Class A misdemeanor of a synthetic drug synthetic drug lookalike and Class C misdemeanor possession of paraphernalia after an Oct. 31 traffic stop.
The probable cause affidavit in the case doesn’t state where or when the stop happened, but Monticello police called a K-9 unit to check out the vehicle.
Officers found a Q-Tip box in the center console with a sealing plastic bag inside that had a substance that field-tested as methamphetamine and found some leafy green brown substance in her left coat pocket that was identified on the scene as a synthetic drug, court files state.
They also found a light blue smoking device with residue in a handbag on the driver’s side.
Paolone is schedule to appear in court on Dec. 20 for a pretrial hearing and has a trail set for the week of Feb. 27.
On Nov. 2, Tyler A. Jones, 29, of the 5600 block of 3300 West County Road South in Jamestown, Ind., was charged Level 6 felony possession of methamphetamine due to a 3:58 a.m. traffic stop on Oct. 28, court records state.
Police found his vehicle stopped in the middle of the south end of the road at the roundabout at Gordon Road and 6th Street, and he refused to take a breathalyzer test, resulting in a warrant for his blood to be taken, court records state.
The methamphetamine was found in a plastic bag in his wallet and behind a debit card during a search of his belongings after he was brought into White County Jail on an operating while intoxicated charge, although there’s no OWI charge against Jones in the court records as of Wednesday.
Jones allegedly admitted the methamphetamine was his, and he’s out on a $5,000 bail bond with his next court date set for Dec. 20 and his trial set for the week of Feb. 27.
On Nov. 6, Ryan M. Gibson, 32, of the South 7900 block of County Road West in Winamac, was charged with Level 6 felony unlawful possession of a syringe, Level 6 felony possession of methamphetamine and Class C misdemeanor passion of paraphernalia after a Nov. 5 traffic stop by White County Sheriff’s Deputies
The probable cause affidavit in the case doesn’t state where or when the stop happened, but police saw a syringe in the front passenger area of the car, which Gibson allegedly admitted was his.
During a search of him and the vehicle, police found a red plastic straw, a small digital scale and a clear liquid substance that field-tested as methamphetamine, court documents state.
On Nov. 7, Ashly N. Philo, 27, of the 600 block of Anchor Court in Monticello, was charged with Level 6 felony theft for allegedly shoplifting multiple items from the Monon Family Dollar store, and the charge was set at a felony because of a previous conviction of misdemeanor theft in White County on May 10.
According to the probable cause affidavit, employees noticed Philo come into the store with an empty and open purse and watched her, and when Philo was holding a bottle of vitamins, an employee noticed her purse and clothing bulging and told her to stop.
Philo allegedly ran from the store, throwing a pair of sandals as she exited, and employees saw her stuffing items under a car.
Monon police arrived to find Philo allegedly rummaging through the back of the car, and the woman who owned the car said she’d driven Philo to Medaryville and stopped there, but she had no idea that Philo was allegedly shoplifting.
Philo allegedly told police that she gave back the sandals to employees, and at White County Jail, she said she didn’t realize she had money in her purse but that she stole because she grew up poor and that’s all she’s known since she was 16.
Items she allegedly stole are listed as two pairs of Marilyn Monroe sandals, Huggies wipes, pens, note pads, a four pack of Wrigley’s gum, liquid eyeliner and body spray.
She is to be held without bond for 15 days and is scheduled to appear in court for a hearing Dec. 20 and has a trial date set for the week of Dec. 20.
On Nov. 11, Melanie Lynn Gourley, 27, of the South 8900 block of County Road 200 West in Star City, Ind., was charged with Level 6 felony operating a vehicle while intoxicated and endangering the a person less than 18 years of age, Class A misdemeanor operating a vehicle while intoxicated and Class A misdemeanor theft for an incident where police stopped her car on 6th Street in Monticello at 6:48 p.m. on Oct. 31.
Gourley is accused of having a 7-year-old in her 2009 Jeep Wrangler while intoxicated and pulling out of Sublette’s Ribs at 924 N 6th St., and she was tested at White County Jail as having a .09 blood alcohol level at 7:56 p.m., reports state.
Police state she had a penny and some gum under her tongue before the test
Police had been called to Sublette’s by staff because Gourley allegedly left without paying for fried pickles, a spicy Cajun wrap, mac and cheese, a bacon chicken wrap, a 1/4 dark chicken order, a Dr. Pepper and two Bud Light drafts, and police recognized her in her vehicle from staff descriptions
She is out of White County Jail on a $5,000 bond and has an initial hearing set for Nov. 13.
