Police searching for two men in connection with an armed robbery make three drug arrests

Arrested in Hanover

Police searching for two men in connection with an armed robbery make three drug arrests.

Robert Bartlett, Chelsea Demaree, and James Phillips each face charges for Level 4 Felony Dealing in Methamphetamine and Level 5 Felony Possession of Methamphetamine among other charges following their arrests. Bartlett and Demaree also face Level 5 Felony Charges for Neglect of a Dependent.

According to troopers with the Indiana State Police, troopers along with officers from the Madison Police Department went to a residence on West Street in Hanover to search for Brian Skirvin and Joshua Pearson. Skirvin was wanted on a felony warrant while both were suspects in an investigation into an armed robbery that occurred on June 12th.

Upon arrival, officers made contact with Demaree and she granted officers permission to look around the residence. Officers noticed a digital scale with residue officers identified as methamphetamine, and saw Demaree exit the trailer with a can she admitted contained plastic baggies. Officers also observed a juvenile subject in the residence. Officers applied for a search warrant after Demaree refused to grant consent for a search of the trailer and Phillips refused to grant consent to search his backpack. A search warrant was granted by Jefferson County Circuit Court Judge D.J. Mote.

The search revealed multiple items of paraphernalia in the trailer and in the backpack, including digital scales, multiple syringes, smoking pipes, plastic baggies, along with methamphetamine and pills. A search of a cell phone revealed several messages officers said were consistent with the purchasing and sale of drugs. Phillips allegedly admitted to officers that he was a “middle man” for drug sales, and stated he had bought or sold meth on numerous occasions to or from Bartlett.

The three were placed under arrest and transported to the Jefferson County Jail.

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