COLUMBUS, Ind. — A large-scale drug enforcement effort named Operation Cold Front led to the arrest of nine individuals, including 63-year-old Steven Wyatt of Columbus, all charged with felony drug offenses.
The coordinated operation, executed Tuesday morning, involved multiple agencies including the Columbus Police Department, Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office, Indiana State Police, and the DEA. In total, about 20 law enforcement officers participated in the roundup.
The arrests stemmed from sealed warrants issued following months of investigation by the Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team (JNET). Charges range from Level 4 to Level 2 felonies, primarily involving methamphetamine and other narcotic distribution.
Those arrested include:
Steven Wyatt, 63 – four counts of dealing methamphetamine ($175,000 bond)
Cindy Stevenson, 62 – three counts of dealing methamphetamine ($100,000 bond)
Darrell Crow III, 47 – three counts of dealing methamphetamine ($175,000 bond)
Samantha Hitch, 28 – dealing methamphetamine ($175,000 bond)
Derrick Brown, 35 – two counts of dealing in a narcotic drug ($150,000 bond)
Daniel Houchens, 33 – dealing methamphetamine ($175,000 bond)
Lloyd May III, 42 – dealing methamphetamine ($75,000 bond)
Stacy Southern, 62 – two counts of dealing methamphetamine ($100,000 bond)
Tallon Bowman, 32 – dealing in a narcotic drug ($40,000 bond)
Sheriff Chris Lane emphasized the significance of continued efforts to remove drug dealers from the community. Additional charges are possible as more evidence was recovered at one of the arrest locations.
“Taking drug dealers off the streets has an outsize impact on other underlying crimes in our county,” said Sheriff Lane.
JNET is a collaborative task force dedicated to curbing the manufacturing and distribution of dangerous drugs in Columbus and Bartholomew County.
