CROMWELL – Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department deputies arrest two subjects on meth-related charges Thursday. KCSD deputy Brad Kellar was patrolling the Papakeechie Lake area early Thursday at approximately 2:24 a.m. when he observed two individuals operating mo-peds near CR 1000N. After both drivers had violated traffic laws, they were subsequently stopped, whereas one of the mo-peds continued behind a residence in the 9000 block of Sandpoint Drive. Kellar noted the odor associated with the presence of methamphetamine production immediately on both individuals as other deputies arrived to assist. The mo-ped drivers, identified as Jason Michael Thorn, 28, North Webster, and Gary Steven Kirkwood, 36, Syracuse, were both found to have active warrants. Both men were taken into custody and officers additionally located items associated with the production and manufacture of methamphetamine along with items of paraphernalia. Thorn was transported to the Kosciusko County Jail and preliminarily arrested for felony manufacturing of methamphetamine along with a warrant in a civil matter. He is being held on $10,000 bond by the Kosciusko County Prosecutor's Office. Kirkwood also was transported to the Kosciusko County Jail and preliminarily charged with felony possession of paraphernalia with a bond of $2,000. Kirkwood is also being held for Elkhart County on a probation violation warrant. The Indiana State Police Clandestine Lab Team was called to the scene after county deputies discovered a HCL generator used in the production of methamphetamine under Thorn’s mo-ped seat.
