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Last updated on Wednesday, May 9, 2018
(GNAW BONE) - Brown County police arrested four people on drug charges on April 25th after police obtained a search warrant to check on the welfare of a dog after being alerted to a case of possible animal cruelty at a home in Gnaw Bone.
Sheriff Scott Southerland says police became involved after an off-duty deputy at Gnaw Bone Coffee found a stray dog in the parking lot.
The deputy had called the number on the tag, and talked to the owner 18-year-old Amber Breedlove, who sent 18-year-old Austin Gess, to pick up the dog.
According to a Brown County Circuit Court probable cause affidavit, the deputy had a leash on the dog and offered it to Gess to use, but he unsnapped the leash, grabbed the dog by the collar, picked the dog up and slung him across his shoulder with the dog upside down lying on its spine.
The deputy offered the leash again to Gess. Gess then threw the dog off his shoulders, slamming it to the ground causing the dog to yelp.
Sheriff Scotherland requested a search warrant and he and other officers went to the home on Deer Trails.
The homeowner 33-year-old Nicholas Hardin, his renter 33-year-old Shawn O'Neill, Gess and Breedlove were at the home when police arrived.
Police found the dog in question and two other dogs and a cat in the home.
The stench from feces and dog urine permeated throughout the house.
Police notified the Department of Child Services because of the hideous condition in the home.
During a search of the residents, police found O'Neill had two knives and a magazine to a handgun on him. O'Neill told police the clip was for a handgun which police found in a car in the driveway which belonged to Hardin. O'Neill told police the gun was owned by his girlfriend because hs was a convicted felon and it is illegal for him to possess a handgun.
Police found a marijuana pipe in Gess' pocket
In Breedlove's room police found a plastic bag containing less than 30 grams of marijuana, a marijuana grinder and a glass pipe.
In Gess' room, police found a prescription bottle filled with a black, tarry substance which police say was burnt marijuana, a metal pipe and a second prescription bottle belonging to another woman was was not at the home.
In the kitchen, police found a plastic bag of marijuana, a tray with marijuana and tobacco on it, and a container that held partially burnt, hand-rolled marijuana cigarettes.
In Hardin's room police found a large number of marijuana smoking devices in another bedroom and two marijuana bags two quarter-pound in size size in a cooler with children's toys.
Left to right: Amber Breedlove, Austin Gess, Nicolas Hardin, Shawn O'Neill.
On April 27, O'Neill was charged on a felony count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon.
Gess is facing misdemeanor charges of cruelty to an animal and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Breedlove is facing misdemeanors charges of possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.
Hardin is facing felony charges of maintaining a common nuisance and possession of a controlled substances, and misdemeanor charges of possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
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