Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
SYRACUSE - For the third time in 11 years, a Kosciusko County man was arrested for dealing cocaine.
Robert Evan Miles, 52, of 9427-B Koher Road E., Syracuse, is being held in the Kosciusko County Jail on charges of dealing cocaine, being a habitual felony offender and being a habitual substance offender. He also was served with a warrant for conversion. His bond was set at $50,250.
Officers with the Kosciusko County Special Operations Team said Miles has convictions for drug dealing dating to 1989, and he is on probation from a 1998 case in which he was arrested at his Syracuse business for dealing cocaine. Police said Miles also was arrested for possession of a controlled substance in Indianapolis in the 1970s.
The supervisor of SPOT said law enforcement officials went to Miles' house with warrants for three suspects and hoped to serve two, but ended up arresting five people.
Using a civilian informant, police were able to purchase cocaine at Miles' house twice in two weeks. Each time, the informant was able to buy between 3 grams and 4 grams of cocaine, police said.
The informant was sent into the house Thursday to make a third purchase and after the alleged transaction took place, police converged on Miles' house and arrested others who were inside, including two women for whom they carried arrest warrants.
A search warrant for the house on the east side of Papakeechie Lake also was executed. Police seized $1,021 in cash, 1-1/4 ounces of cocaine/crack and a large amount of crack-smoking paraphernalia, according to a press release issued by the Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department.
Also arrested on Thursday were:
• Crystal R. Cooper, 38, of Warsaw, charged with visiting a common nuisance and served with outstanding warrants for possession of a controlled substance, two counts of failure to appear and driving while intoxicated. Her bond was set at $22,750.
• Jo Anna Molle, 41, of 9427-B Koher Road E., Syracuse, charged with dealing cocaine, possession of a controlled substance and maintaining a common nuisance. Police said one of the recent purchases made at Miles' house was completed by Molle. She also was served with warrants for conversion and driving while suspended. Her bond was set at $23,000.
• Dixie C. Knisley, 40, of 9380 N. Koher Road E. #60, Syracuse, charged with visiting a common nuisance. She is being held in the KCJ on $250 bond.
• Rose E. Long, 39, of 637 Chapman Lake Drive, Warsaw, charged with visiting a common nuisance. Her bond was set at $750.
Tips from a newspaper campaign in which "coupons" were made available for the public to provide anonymous tips about possible drug dealing aided police in completing this investigation.
Assisting SPOT in the arrests were officers from the KCSD, Warsaw Police Department and Indiana State Police.
