AUSTIN – A Scott County man was arrested on drug-related charges, including the manufacture of methamphetamine, on Friday, April 18, 2025, after Indiana State Police (ISP) investigators served a search warrant at his Austin residence for an unrelated investigation.
According to ISP reports, investigators with the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) executed a search warrant at a mobile home in the 1300 block of West York Road in Austin on Friday morning. Living in the residence were 29-year-old Ryan L. Napier and 34-year-old Jonathan Pennington.
During an initial safety sweep of the home, Senior Trooper Brett Walters, a member of the ISP Clandestine Lab Team, allegedly observed chemicals and equipment indicative of methamphetamine production. Following the initial sweep, all officers exited the residence, and Trooper Walters applied for a second search warrant based on his findings of a potential drug lab.
A Scott County Judge granted the second warrant, and later that afternoon, Trooper Walters and other members of the ISP Clandestine Lab Team, equipped with safety gear, re-entered the residence. The subsequent search yielded suspected drug precursors, manufacturing equipment, and several firearms.
As a result of the second search warrant, Ryan Napier was arrested and faces charges of manufacturing methamphetamine, a Level 5 felony, possession of drug precursors, a Level 5 felony, and maintaining a common nuisance, a Level 6 felony.
Jonathan Pennington was also arrested and charged with maintaining a common nuisance, a Level 6 felony.
Both Napier and Pennington were transported to the Scott County Jail without incident. The initial ICAC investigation resumed after the residence was deemed safe. That investigation is ongoing, and updates will be provided if charges are filed.
The Indiana State Police were assisted in this investigation by officers from the Austin Police Department and the Scott County Sheriff’s Department.
All individuals are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
