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PAGE UPDATED BY MARIA SIEVERDING DECEMBER 26, 2017 1 P.M.

Officers find drugs, paraphernalia and loaded guns
Arrests made after drugs found in New Marion

Wanda English Burnett
EDITOR

When officers went to a home in New Marion (4769 New Marion East Street) in Holton earlier this month to conduct what they call a “knock and talk” investigation, they found a drug operation in full swing. According to information from an Affidavit of Probable Cause, Kenneth J. Cardinal came to the door to find three officers – ISP Troopers Joe May, Jordan Craig, Trevor Tucker, and Versailles Marshal Joe Mann.

SUBMITTED PHOTO
Pictured left is Kenneth J. Cardinal.

As Cardinal came out to speak with the officers, they could see others moving about inside the home. The officers asked Cardinal about illegal drugs or marijuana. Cardinal then admitted that he smokes marijuana and did have some inside the residence. He produced some marijuana and a pipe at that time. When officers asked for consent to search his residence, Cardinal said no. They waited for a search warrant and when all paperwork was in order, went inside where they found three women – Candice Stone, Tiffany Caudle, and Andrea James who were all arrested that night. Police found signs of recent drug use in plain view, including a pipe containing residue and plastic baggies.

Stone was audio/video recorded saying she had purchased methamphetamine from Cardinal multiple times. She said she pays $10 per tenth of a gram. She also said she has “shot up” (inject intravenously) methamphetamine in the past, but that usually she just smokes it.

James told officers that there were a lot of people in and out of the house and there was a lot of methamphetamine use going on in the residence. She said she didn’t use meth, and only smoked marijuana. However, when she was transferred from one police car to another, she dropped two small plastic baggies – one containing a crystalline substance (which field tested positive for methamphetamine) and the other contained plant material believed to be marijuana. Her explanation of having the bags was that she saw them in the kitchen when the police arrived and didn’t want Cardinal to get into trouble. While searching the bedroom, police found numerous types of illegal drugs and items of drug paraphernalia. There were digital scales, a large amount of small plastic baggies and over five grams of methamphetamine.

Officers found over 30 grams of marijuana and various types of pills containing a controlled substance that were packaged in a manner consistent with illegal distribution, according to court records. There were legend drugs, numerous hypodermic syringes and mushrooms (that contain Psilocybin) a Schedule I controlled substance. There were also multiple long guns and three fully loaded revolvers.

Cardinal was formally charged on December 8 with 11 counts: Dealing Methamphetamine with Enhancing Circumstance, Level 2 Felony; Conspiracy to deal Methamphetamine, Level 2 Felony; Possession of Methamphetamine with Enhancing Circumstance, Level 4 Felony; Possession of a Hypodermic Needle, Level 6 Felony; Maintaining a Common Nuisance, Level 6 Felony; Dealing Marijuana over 30 grams, Level 6 Felony; Possession of Marijuana, Class B misdemeanor; Dealing a Controlled Substance with Enhancing Circumstance, Level 5 Felony; Possession of a Controlled Substance with Enhancing Circumstance, Level 6 Felony; Possession of a Legend Drug, Level 6 Felony; and Possession of Paraphernalia, Class C Misdemeanor.

More court records indicate that Anna Marie Bischoff was also at the home of Cardinal in December and was involved in the drug business. Bischoff has been charged with Dealing in Methamphetamine, Level 2 Felony; Possession of Methamphetamine, Level 3 Felony; Possession or Control of a Hypodermic Syringe, Level 6 Felony and Possession of Paraphernalia, Class C Misdemeanor.

While officers were at the Cardinal residence on December 7 checking out a complaint that someone had broken into the house after Cardinal’s arrest, they found Anna Marie Bischoff inside, along with Chealyn Colley.

While Marshal Joe Mann was assisting the ISP in the search warrant at the Cardinal home in New Marion, some of those arrested spoke of another female, Chealyn Colley, who was driving a red Chevrolet car. Upon further investigation, Mann discovered the car had been reported stolen from Madison.
When Mann went inside the house, he smelled marijuana burning. During the service of the search warrant they found hypodermic needles, digital scales, a glass smoking pipe, and small plastic baggies of pills that were not there the night before when officers took Cardinal into custody.

Bischoff said these items were hers. She also led officers to a blue colored plastic container that contained clear plastic baggies that contained methamphetamine that weighed over 30 grams. Bischoff stated the police would have not found it without her help because she was the only one who knew where it was located.

2018 Primary election to begin

According to information from Ripley County Clerk Ginger Bradford, 2018 Primary Election season is just around the corner. January 10 is the first day an individual may file a declaration of candidacy for nomination as a candidate.

Offices appearing on the primary ballot are: county assessor, auditor, sheriff, surveyor, prosecutor, commissioner (district 1), county council (district 1,2,3, and 4). Also, Town of Osgood Council (At-Large-2 seats), all township trustees, all advisory board members (township), democratic precinct committeemen, and both Republican and Democrat State Convention Delegates.

If you want to be a candidate for a district, township or precinct office, you must reside in that district, township or precinct. The same applies to the Osgood Town Council. And, you must be a Ripley County registered voter in order to seek nomination.

Filing procedures begin at 8 a.m. on January 10 in the County Annex Election Room, Versailles, which is located on the second floor. The filing deadline for all the above offices is Friday, February 9 by noon. Call 812-689-4783 for more information.