On Tuesday, the Indiana State Police-Versailles All Crimes Policing Team along with the Bartholomew County Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team (Columbus Police Department and Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department) conducted a drug investigation in Columbus, Indiana that resulted in the arrest of two suspects on numerous drug related charges. One of the suspects was later determined to be the head varsity golf coach at Greenwood High School.
During the course of the investigation, troopers conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle on State Road 46 at Johnson Blvd. in Columbus, Indiana. An Indiana State Police K-9 alerted to the odor of illegal drugs coming from the vehicle. During a search of the vehicle, troopers located suspected heroin, a syringe, and drug paraphernalia. The driver of the vehicle, Jared K. Elsner, age 33, Seymour, Indiana was arrested at the scene. He was transported to the Bartholomew County Jail where he was incarcerated on charges of Possession of Heroin, Level 6 Felony, Possession of Syringe, Level 6 Felony, Possession of Paraphernalia, Class C Misdemeanor.
Troopers then conducted a traffic stop on a second vehicle on State Road 46 at Carr Hill Road in Columbus. The driver of the vehicle, Benjamin L. Beatty, age 37, Columbus resisted the trooper and was detained at the scene. During a search of Beatty’s vehicle, troopers located approximately one ounce of suspected methamphetamine, heroin, and drug paraphernalia. Beatty was arrested and transported to the Bartholomew County Jail. Troopers then applied for and received search warrants for Beatty’s residence located at 2559 Lafayette Avenue, Columbus, Indiana and also for a room at the Motel 6 in Columbus that had been rented by Beatty.
The search warrants that were served by the Indiana State Police, Columbus Police Department, and Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department resulted in the discovery of additional methamphetamine, heroin, marijuana, syringes, drug paraphernalia, and packaging material.Officers also located counterfeit US Currency and other evidence of counterfeiting during the execution of the search warrants.
During the course of the investigation, troopers learned that Beatty was the current Varsity and Junior High Golf Coach at Greenwood Schools in Greenwood, Indiana.
Beatty was arrested on felony charges of Dealing Methamphetamine, Dealing Heroin, Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Heroin, Possession of a Syringe, Counterfeiting, and misdemeanor charges of Resisting Law Enforcement, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
Elsner was arrested on felony charges of Possession of Heroin, Possession of a Syringe, and a misdemeanor charge of Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
Both suspects were being held in the Bartholomew County Jail pending their initial appearances in court.