GREENFIELD — A Greenfield man who was investigated as part of a suspected marijuana trafficking operation allegedly run by his father-in-law faces several drug-related charges.
Police who raided the father-in-law’s home in Lawrence earlier this month found almost 200 pounds of marijuana, several weapons and $19,000 in cash. He has been arrested as well.
Eric Trusley, 39, 1000 block of East Sixth Street, Greenfield, attracted attention from local investigators when they learned he was coming and going from a residence in Indianapolis belonging to his father-in-law, John E. Myers, 59.
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Investigators with the Hancock County Sheriff’s Department had been watching Myers since last fall after he came under suspicion of trafficking marijuana across the country from California to Michigan in a recreational vehicle, according to an affidavit.
Evidence was also provided to sheriff’s officials that Trusley was selling drugs for his father-in-law, the affidavit said.
Trusley was spotted at Myers’ home in the 5000 block of White Lane in Indianapolis on March 8 by a Hancock County deputy. After watching activity he thought was suspicious — including an interaction with people in car that stopped next to the house — the deputy tailed Trusley when he left in an orange SUV, the affidavit says.
The deputy followed the SUV south from the vicinity of Franklin Road and 52nd Street all the way to Greenfield on Interstate 70. All the while, Trusley’s vehicle was making several unsafe moves on the road. When he got off on State Road 9 and made a sudden lane change near New Road, the deputy coordinated with a Hancock County detective to pull Trusley over.
The deputy who had been following Trusley from his father-in-law’s house watched from a distance and could see Trusley making movements, reaching under the driver’s seat and another time reaching across the front seat to the floor of the passenger side.
The deputy relayed the information to the detective who had pulled Trusley over, prompting officials to request consent to search the vehicle. Trusley refused, so a K-9 officer was dispatched for a search. Authorities soon discovered what appeared to be a pipe used for smoking methamphetamine and a bag of a crystal-like substance that field-tested positive as methamphetamine, the report said.
Inside the vehicle, officers found a black backpack Trusley had carried containing three food saver sealed bags with plant material that filed tested as marijuana. The marijuana was found to weigh three-quarters of a pound. The methamphetamine weighed at 12.2 grams. They also found $1,000 cash in a jacket pocket.
Additionally, while serving a search warrant at the father-in-law’s home on White Lane, officials located multiple ledgers showing what appeared to be transactions involving drugs. The ledgers listed “Eric” and “amounts,” the affidavit said.
Officials also found a large food-saver bag containing multiple marijuana varieties labeled “For Eric.”
Trusley was arrested and made his first court appearance last week with his lawyer, Gregory Brand, where he pleaded not guilty. He was released on a $5,000 cash bond. Trusley is scheduled to have a pretrial conference in April.
Trusley faces a Level 4 felony charge of possession of methamphetamine; a Level 6 felony charges of dealing in marijuana; a Level 6 felony of maintaining a common nuisance; and a Class B misdemeanor charge of possession of marijuana.
The most serious charge carries a sentence of up to 12 years in prison.
Myers was arrested during a traffic stop later the same day in Indianapolis. Police found half a pound of what appeared to be marijuana in his pickup.
Myers was taken to the Marion County Jail and was released on a $15,000 surety bond.
While executing a search warrant, officers found 150 sealed packages of what they believed to be marijuana. In a separate room, they found marijuana that had been separated into jars and bags and labeled by type, the affidavit said.
Police also confiscated three flame-thrower-type weapons, an AR-15 rifle, a shotgun and several other loaded weapons, along with ammunition
In total, more than 184 pounds of suspected marijuana was located, along with more than 200 THC pens — vaping devices used to consume cannabis. Three digital scales and over $19,000 in cash were also found, the affidavit said.
Myers has been charged with a Level 5 felony of dealing marijuana where the amount is at least 10 pounds, and a Class B misdemeanor charge of possession of marijuana.
