OOLITIC— The Lawrence County Police Department has filed a probable cause affidavit seeking an arrest warrant for an Indianapolis man in connection with a drug-related incident that occurred in Oolitic late last year.
Justin Ryan Reynolds, 30, faces preliminary charges of possession of methamphetamine, a Level 6 felony, and possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class A misdemeanor.
On November 3, 2024, at approximately 4:13 p.m., Lawrence County Central Dispatch received a report of a male allegedly smoking methamphetamine behind Casey’s General Store in Oolitic. Sgt. R. Compton, along with Officers Porter and Griggs, responded to the area.
While the suspect was not located on the store’s property, Officer Porter spotted him across the street at a residence on 6th Street. Officers made contact with Reynolds, who was holding a fountain drink from the store. Reynolds denied being behind the building, stating he had only visited the business to purchase a drink and a gift card.
According to the affidavit, Reynolds granted officers consent to search his belongings and his person. During the search, Sgt. Compton discovered a glass smoking device in Reynolds’ jacket pocket, two small plastic baggies concealed in a coin pocket of his jeans.
One baggie contained crystal-like chunks, while the other contained a crystal-like powder. Both substances yielded a presumptive positive result for methamphetamine during field testing.
Reynolds was initially released at the scene with the understanding that he would cooperate with further investigations. However, authorities later determined that Reynolds relocated to the Indianapolis area shortly after the incident.
Records indicate Reynolds was arrested in Marion County on December 15, 2024, on unrelated charges and remains incarcerated there. Due to his current status, he has been unable to fulfill his obligations to Lawrence County investigators, leading Sgt. Compton to officially request an arrest warrant. Reynolds was detained on March 5.
All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. This article is based on the information provided in the probable cause affidavit and does not represent a final determination of guilt or innocence.
