Greencastle woman pleads guilty to dealing cocaine in Owen case

SPENCER -- A 25-year-old Putnam County woman has pleaded guilty to dealing cocaine in a plea agreement reached in an Owen Circuit Court case.

Callie Ellen Barber, of Greencastle, appeared in court Tuesday and pleaded guilty to dealing cocaine in an amount between one and five grams, a Level 4 felony that carries a sentencing range of 2-12 years in prison.

Callie Barber

In return for Barber’s guilty plea, the Owen County Prosecutor’s Office agreed to dismiss charges of dealing in methamphetamine, a Level 5 felony, and possession of marijuana, a Class B misdemeanor.

Barber was remanded to the Owen County Jail to await sentencing.

She was arrested March 3 in Owen County by Deputy Mitchell Fleetwood after she had been under investigation for several months and authorities learned she was reportedly in the Cunot area to allegedly deliver drugs.

Authorities located Barber’s vehicle southbound on U.S. 231 in Putnam County, heading into Owen before a traffic stop was initiated for driving left of center.

At the time, Barber had pending charges of dealing in cocaine and dealing in methamphetamine after separate incidents in which a confidential informant had reportedly purchased the drugs from Barber.

Using a confidential informant, Owen County Sheriff’s Department deputies set up a drug purchase on Nov. 28, 2016 with Barber reportedly scheduled to deliver cocaine to the informant at the Junction Mart at the U.S. 231/State Road 67 intersection near Paragon. However, that deal was moved at the last minute to the Millgrove Store property near Quincy.

There the informant bought an “eight-ball” of cocaine from Barber, investigators said, and engaged her in conversation long enough for authorities to obtain the license number of her vehicle.

Another deal was set up Dec. 1 with Barber and the informant meeting in Cunot at the entrance to Forrest Lane and conducting the transaction in the middle of the road. This time the purchase was for three grams of methamphetamine.

Once tests determined the drugs in the two incidents were indeed cocaine and methamphetamine, respectively, Owen County issued a warrant for Barber’s arrest.

While she has been incarcerated at Spencer since March, Barber is also facing charges in Putnam County for an alleged Jan. 6 shoplifting at the Greencastle Walmart.

In that incident Barber reportedly took $36.58 worth of merchandise, including two pairs of yoga pants that she allegedly rolled up and concealed beneath her sweatshirt.

The pending case in Putnam Superior Court is for theft, a Class A misdemeanor. The case has been on hold since her incarceration.