Warrants issued for two Greene County residents

Friday, January 16, 2009

Warrants have been issued for the arrest of Jason and Amanda Bridgewater, of rural eastern Greene County, after preliminary charges of class D felony possession of marijuana were filed against both of them this week.

The charges came about after the Greene County Sheriff's Department assisted Greencastle Police Department Assistant Chief Brian Hopkins with the execution of a search warrant at the Bridgewater residence on Blue Sky North in eastern Greene County.

Jason Bridgewater, 32, was arrested in the Greencastle area and booked into the Putnam County Jail at 5:33 a.m. on Jan. 2 on preliminary charges of possession of marijuana, possession of paraphernalia, and operating a vehicle in violation of a restricted driving permit.

As a result of the arrest, a search warrant was issued out of Putnam Superior Court for the Bridgewater residence in Greene County asking that marijuana, paraphernalia, marijuana seeds and stems be seized as well as some other items including all computers and computer-related equipment.

When Greene County Sheriff's Deputies executed the warrant on Jan. 2, Amanda Bridgewater was at home and was advised of Jason's arrest.

The probable cause affidavit written by Deputy Terry Wade and filed in both Greene County cases states officers seized several large bags containing a green leafy plant material that tested positive as marijuana. They also seized some items of paraphernalia and some cash.

The affidavit does not say whether any computer equipment or any other items were seized during the execution of the warrant.

The local charges were filed in Greene Superior Court. Possession of marijuana in an amount over 30 grams is a felony.

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  • Come on law enforcement. Leave these kids alone for a little weed or even alot. It's legal in thirteen states now with many more pending. I guess it's just gonna take a backwoods state like Indiana alittle while longer to catch up. In the meantime just keep on destroying lives with these futile arrests. Try to focus on busting real drug dealers won't you.

    -- Posted by RRgson on Sat, Jan 17, 2009, at 3:11 AM
  • I agree completely. I've been reading so much in the Banner about thieves, child molesters and meth addicts that it seems the Greencastle police should have more to occupy their time than worrying with pot smokers. I guarantee it will take Indiana a LOT longer to realize that, especially in areas like Putnam County.

    -- Posted by '74tiger on Sat, Jan 17, 2009, at 5:04 AM
  • But, under Federal law it is illegal!

    -- Posted by icare on Sat, Jan 17, 2009, at 7:20 AM
  • I can't agree that it should be legal. Maybe keep it illegal to sell it, but not have it. Is that "decriminalization"?

    -- Posted by Xgamer on Sat, Jan 17, 2009, at 8:42 AM
  • Yeah boy, sounds like we have some pot smokers responding to this story with their drug hazed minds. Yeah quit ruining these poor innocent

    lives of people that are doing an illegal act. Go after the big boys doing all the other drugs. That is why they call it dope, because they are dopes using it.

    -- Posted by magoo55 on Sat, Jan 17, 2009, at 10:17 PM
  • yes, you do have have some pot smokers responding to this story, 30 years plus my man, with no side effects. the only thing I want is the rights as those as my beer drinking friends. Look at (LEAP}. Law Enforcement Against Prohibition. The Drug War is a Failure. Many of Consenting Adults are for Decrim. Tax us please! How many times do you hear that! It's just a matter of time until it reaches this part of the country. I say decrim of the marajuana laws of this nation. YES WE CAN!LEARN IT, LOVE IT, LIVE IT. Your Prejudice will die with you.

    -- Posted by RRgson on Sun, Jan 18, 2009, at 12:11 AM
  • Pot dealers are cash cows to law enforcement agencies. They will be watched for up to two years to build a solid case against them. Then the law agency seizes all assets accumulated in that time- motorcycles, atv's, cars, guns, computers, etc.

    Meth dealers are another story, they usually have no possessions worth confiscating.

    Alcohol abusers support the court systems and their employees, because there are so many of them. Since alcohol is legal, nothing gets seized.

    In this county, one of the favorite busts is the highway seizures that net big cash rewards or mass amounts of substance.

    The majority of hardcore drug abusers and hardcore alcoholics will admit that they smoke pot, or have in the past. Marijuana will be present in the body longer than meth, cocaine, pills, or alcohol and therefore is easiest to detect. A meth head may commit a crime trying to get money for more meth. If they get caught and tested, the meth may be gone from their system, and only show traces of marijuana. That is enough to break someones probation or solidify a bust.

    So, in a capitolistic country, why WOULD law enforcement make marijuana legal? Two major industries are going to make sure it stays illegal as well. The timber and cotton industries lobbied to declare marijuana a narcotic back in the 40's. This legislation put a lid on any potential hemp industry in this country and secured the fortunes in cotton and lumber.

    Sorry tiger, sorry RR. Taxing it and making it legal will never happen with the federal government, it just generates too much money the way it is.

    -- Posted by Xgamer on Sun, Jan 18, 2009, at 8:19 AM
  • In my opinion i believe they are going to far in executing search warrants for your home when you get pulled over with the marijuana in your vehicle , what does searching your home have to do with what you was caught carrying on you and the taking of computers and all computer related items now arent they going above and beyond the law in exercising thier authority just out of curiosity I wonder how many times some of these authorities have broken the same laws they have arrested others for? we will never know because as one old steven seagal movie said they was above the law

    -- Posted by brazil citizen on Sun, Jan 18, 2009, at 10:29 PM
  • Indiana currently has a law on the books that says it's legal to have marajuana as long as it has a tax stamp on it. As well as many other states do. The problem is that in order to purchase the stamp, you must first produce the marajuana in order for it to be weighed to determine the amount to be paid for the tax stamp, but having the marajuana to be brought in is a crime. Catch 22. I agree with Xgamer that it is a huge cash cow for law enforcement. But surely leveler heads with prevail in this sooner or later. Why make criminals out of otherwise law abidding adults. It just seems like a huge waste of constantly tightening tax payer dollars to pursue this persecution of people. There are far more dangerous drugs already legal like alcohol and tobacco.

    -- Posted by RRgson on Sun, Jan 18, 2009, at 11:37 PM
  • Well Queenie_2008 Amanda Bridgewater is that one that was few and far between! I havent met very many who is like her! She just happend to have married a A-hoe and FOR HER CHILDERN was tryn to make it work!!!I am not saing this because shes a friend cause shes not right now she hates me!I am telling you this because it is true..Her home was beutiful and as for her childern they were always well dressed she took the time to have them study nightly! NOTHING I MEAN NOTHING CAME BEFOR HER CHILDREN! She was holding a full time job pluss getting ready to graduate college with a degree!

    The kids never went without anything, there was times that she didnt know what was going to happen the next day or week for that matter but she is a suvivior always has been and always will be so you can keep spitting all the words you want but befor you say that her childern should be taken maybe you should

    GET OFF THE RICH HORSE AND TRY LIVING IN ANOTHERS SHOE FOR A SECOND!!!!And as far as not having anything the KIDS had dirtbikes,4-wheelers but most of ALL they had LOVE and NO 1 Could ever gave them as much as AMANDA!

    -- Posted by slyrosee on Tue, Jan 27, 2009, at 4:18 PM
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