BEDFORD – In a negotiated plea agreement with the Lawrence County Prosecutor, Jennifer Craig plead guilty to reckless homicide today.
Craig, of Louisville, KY. was arrested after Bedford Police officers were called to an apartment in the 2600 block of 6th Street on February 23, 2021, after a report that a male overdosed. Steve M. Jones, 25, of Bedford, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police arrested Craig, on charges of dealing in a controlled substance resulting in death, possession of heroin, unlawful possession of a syringe, dealing and possession of marijuana over 30 grams obstruction of justice, prostitution, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
As part of the plea agreement, Craig would receive the maximum sentence of six years in the Indiana Department of Corrections.
Lawrence County Superior CourtII Judge Robert Cline accepted the plea and issued the sentence. Judge Cline stated that he accepted the plea based on discussions by both the Prosecution and Defense Counsel in reference to a major issue related to evidence with the higher charge.
“These are tough cases all around, family members of the victim will never be made whole again and will have a void in their lives,” said Lawrence County Prosecutor Samuel C. Arp II. “Additionally, these types of cases present high burdens of proof, and the way a case looks at the time of filing it versus what we can actually prove at the time of trial often defer. I believe that the reckless homicide charge was exactly what we would have been able to prove at a jury trial”.
Police also arrested Gage England, of Sellersburg, on charges of obstruction of justice, possession of heroin, unlawful possession of a syringe, dealing marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
When police arrived they noticed a black Toyota Celica leaving the apartment complex before entering the apartment, where they found Steven M. Jones laying on his stomach on the living room floor.
A Bedford Police officer began CPR while another administered a total of four doses of Narcan. An IU Health Ambulance arrived on the scene and began to treat Jones, while officers switched off administering CPR until one of the paramedics took over.
The paramedics continued to attempt to revive Jones, however, their attempts were unsuccessful and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Other officers were stopped by occupants in the apartment building, who told them a male and female ran out of the apartment building shortly before police arrived.
Other officers were alerted to look for the Toyota that had left moments earlier.
Officers then spoke to several residents at the apartment complex and were able to obtain descriptions of the male and female that departed the apartment before the officers’ arrival.
Officers located the Toyota on State Road 37 and stopped the vehicle near the intersection of Riverbluff Road. Both England and Craig admitted they had been at Jones’ apartment before his death.
Officers then secured a search warrant for Jones’ apartment.
Steven Jones’ family was also notified of his death.
Craig told police she went to the apartment to get money from Jones. She told the police “I sell my body for money.” She later referred to herself as a “hooker.” Jennifer stated that she arrived at Steven’s apartment at around 7:50 p.m. Her boyfriend, Gage England, took her to the apartment. However, she stated that England only dropped her off and he proceeded to leave to run errands. Craig told police Jones paid her $195 through a cash app in exchange for the sex. Afterward, Jones went into a bathroom and when he came out he had a needle in his hand.
She then told police that she and Edwards took the needles that Jones used to inject the heroin when they left the apartment.
She then told police that the needles that she and Edwards used contained a “speedball” containing both heroin and meth.
Later, Craig changed her story and reported she gave Jones the drugs he injected. She said she filled a syringe with 10 units because “that’s a small amount for somebody to first use heroin.” She stated that she had told Jones, no but he was persistent about trying it. While Jones was in the bathroom she too shot up a “speedball”. She also told police she attempted to get Jones to snort the drug instead of injecting it.
England told police he had driven Craig to Jones’ apartment and dropped her off. He then went to the Dollar Tree.
He then said, “I get a call about twenty minutes later and she’s like, I just came out of the bathroom, he’s laying on the floor and he’s starting to turn purple.”
England went back to the apartment and did CPR on Jones, but “couldn’t get him back.”
He then grabbed a bag and started grabbing all the “paraphernalia.” He went on to state that he had “no intentions of leaving that man to die.”
Police then applied for a search warrant for the vehicle. Located throughout the vehicle officers found drugs and numerous syringes.
England on August 31, 2022, pleaded guilty in a negotiated plea deal to charges of obstruction of justice, and possession of a narcotic drug. He was sentenced to the Indiana Department of Correction for 1,640 days. He was given credit for serving 340 days and 570 days were suspended. He was sentenced to spend 730 days on house arrest and was placed on supervised probation for 265 days.
