2012 Tippecanoe County Prosecutor's Office in the News
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
2012 Tippecanoe County Prosecutor’s Office in the News December 31, 2012: Lafayette Journal and Courier Boyfriend of West Lafayette shooting victim charged with drug dealing Written by Eric Weddle A West Lafayette man whose girlfriend was found shot in the head at their apartment near Purdue University earlier this month has been charged with dealing drugs. Louis Fromer, 34, was charged in Tippecanoe Circuit Court Monday with dealing in hydrocodone within 1,000 feet of a school, a Class A felony; dealing in hydrocodone, a Class B felony; and conspiracy to commit dealing in hydrocodone, a Class B felony. Hydrocodone is a controlled substance used as a painkiller. Fromer remains in the Tippecanoe County Jail, on a $100,00 surety bond and a $10,000 cash bond. Fromer was arrested Dec. 24 on suspicion of various drug possession violations, the day after police were called to his 733 N. Grant St. home for a report of a shooting. West Lafayette Detective Lt. Troy Harris said the investigation into how 32-year-old Gretchen Fulks was shot is ongoing. Harris said the gunshot wound was not self-inflicted. “What we are trying to do is find out whether or not this was an accident,” Harris said. “Our main focus is the shooting.” Fromer offered to investigators an account of how Fulks was shot, but Harris would not elaborate on those details. Measurements and distances related to crime scene evidence have been sent to the state police for analysis. Fulks remains in critical condition, Harris said. After the shooting she was taken to St. Elizabeth East hospital. Following is a summary of what took place, according to the affidavit: On Dec. 23 police arrived at 733 N. Grant St. and found Fulks shot in the head and Fromer in the house. During the investigation police noticed an expensive home security system. That lead them to obtain search warrants for Fromer’s cellphone. Phone records showed Fromer had been texting with others about the strength and cost of pills, including hydrocodone, by using street names, such as “tabbies” and “kitties.” One of the people texting with Fromer was a confidential informant. Earlier that month, the informant purchased hydrocodone pills from Fromer at the Grant Street house. The informant explained that Fromer had a card reader connected to a phone so he could accept credit cards for the purchase of drugs. Police found prescription information for Fromer that showed he regularly filled several prescriptions for hydrocodone, methadone and other drugs. December 28, 2012: Lafayette Journal and Courier Lafayette mom charged with posting teen daughter's nude photo on Facebook SOPHIA VORAVONG; [email protected] A Lafayette woman is accused of deliberately posting a nude photo of her teenage daughter on the girl’s Facebook page. Her face, breasts and genitals were clearly visible, investigators said. The mother, 50-year-old Lynda A. Rusk, was charged Wednesday in Tippecanoe Circuit Court with child exploitation, a Class C felony, and possession of child pornography, a Class D felony. A warrant has been issued for Rusk’s arrest. Rusk could not be reached for comment. On Wednesday afternoon, no one answered a published home telephone number in Lafayette for a Lynda Rusk. The accusations against her stem from an incident that happened a year ago, on Nov. 8, 2011. It took a year to bring charges because of time required to subpoena Facebook and Rusk and her daughter’s cellphone provider, along with time needed to review the paperwork and evidence, according to Detective Mark Pinkard of the Lafayette Police Department. “We wanted to make sure to do everything we could for this young lady,” Pinkard said of the victim, who is underage. “A major concern was, you never know who saw the photo. Anyone could have saved it or took a screenshot. “Once something is posted online, it’s out there forever.” Due to that, Lafayette police contacted the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children for assistance. Investigators thus far have not found the photo posted elsewhere, Pinkard said. The investigation began on Nov. 8, 2011, when the girl’s teacher contacted police over concerns of her well-being. The girl had been staying with her grandparents since Nov. 1, 2011. But on the morning of Nov. 8, Rusk removed her from school. No one had heard from the girl since, according to a probable cause affidavit. Though the photo itself was taken by Rusk’s daughter, using an Apple iPhone, Rusk allegedly had possession of the cellphone when the picture was uploaded to Facebook, Pinkard said. Information provided by Facebook and the cellphone provider helped to build a timeline and the case against Rusk, Pinkard said. He credited a friend of the victim, who made attempts to contact her after seeing the photo. Following is a summary of what took place, according to the affidavit: When interviewed by police, Rusk told officers that she checked her daughter into a counseling center in Terre Haute after noticing the girl’s nude photo on Facebook at 5 a.m. Nov. 8, 2011. The picture, however, was first uploaded — via a mobile device — that afternoon, at 2:34 p.m. The daughter was at the Terre Haute counseling center from 11 a.m. Nov. 8 to 7 p.m. Nov. 9, and she told detectives that her mother confiscated the iPhone. When confronted with the contradicting information, Rusk allegedly claimed to not use Facebook or an iPhone — though she had an iPhone herself — and that if she uploaded the picture, it was an “accident.” Detectives used cellphone records and towers to track the iPhone’s location and route to Terre Haute from Lafayette, then back to Lafayette from Terre Haute, on Nov. 8. The lead charge against Rusk, child exploitation, is punishable by six to 20 years in prison, if convicted. Court records do not say whether Rusk has hired or been appointed an attorney. Pinkard advises people who come across illegal material on Facebook or other social networking sites to flag it immediately and contact local police. December 28, 2012: WLFITV Man sentenced to 6 years for burglary LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - A Lafayette man received a six-year sentence including two years in prison after authorities said he broke into a business' locked office through the ceiling. Tippecanoe County Prosecutor Pat Harrington said Joseph Rich, 20, pleaded guilty to burglary and attempted theft. Harrington said Rich was sentenced to two years in prison, two years in community corrections, and two years of probation. In March, police were called to the Suds Laundromat on Salem Street in Lafayette for a reported burglary. The owner told officers Rich was found in the Laundromat's office and the money box had been moved, but nothing had been taken. Rich told officers he moved a table in the Laundromat and went through the ceiling to get to the locked office. December 27, 2012: Lafayette Journal and Courier Felony drug charges filed; Lafayette man is not in custody Written by Justin Mack A Lafayette man accused of multiple felony drug offenses was charged Wednesday in Tippecanoe County. Steven K. Whitaker, 22, was charged in Superior Court 2 with dealing a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance and maintaining a common nuisance. According to court documents, the incident that led to the charges happened Feb. 2. Police said a confidential informant contacted investigators and reported that Whitaker had offered to sell him ecstasy pills. Arrangements were made to make the deal for six pills the next day. On Feb. 2, the informant was outfitted with a wire transmitter and was dropped off at 500 S. 31st St., Whitaker’s home. After the transaction was complete, the informant and Whitaker exited the home together, and police were able to positively identify Whitaker. As of Thursday night, Whitaker was not in custody. December 27, 2012: Lafayette Journal and Courier Chicago woman charged in card fraud A Chicago woman is accused of stealing credit cards from two area women and charging more than $1,200 worth of merchandise at local stores a year ago. Shavonne Frances Scott, 24, was charged Thursday in Tippecanoe Superior Court 1 with two counts of forgery, a Class C felony, and two counts of theft, a Class D felony. According to a probable cause affidavit, she is accused of stealing the credit cards from patrons at two West Lafayette eateries on Dec. 30, 2011: Moe’s Southwest Grill, 332 East State St., and Panera Bread,328 East State St. On that same day she is suspected of making a $272.12 purchase at a Walgreens and a $1,009.90 purchase at a CVS with the cards. Additionally, the affidavit states Scott attempted other purchases at Walmart and over the phone to Bed, Bath and Beyond. West Lafayette police used surveillance video, phone records and Scott’s Illinois drivers license to identify her as a suspect in the thefts and forgeries. December 19, 2012: Lafayette Journal and Courier Charges filed in molestation of 20-month-old girl SOPHIA VORAVONG; [email protected] A Lafayette man is accused of causing severe vaginal bruising and swelling and a rectal tear that sent an acquaintance’s 20-month-old daughter to an Indianapolis hospital last week. Adam J. Jenkins, 23, was charged Wednesday in Tippecanoe Superior Court 2 with two counts of child molesting causing serious bodily injury; two counts of child molesting by a person age 21 or older; neglect of a dependent resulting in serious bodily injury; and battery. Adams was being held Wednesday night in the Tippecanoe County Jail on a combined $125,000 surety and $12,500 cash bond.