Inmate facing more time for alleged trafficking incident

Already incarcerated for dealing in a controlled substance, a Putnamville Correctional Facility (PCF) inmate apparently hasn’t learned his lesson.

Consequently, David L. Eads, 31, is facing additional charges for allegedly working with a co-conspirator to bring controlled substances into PCF with the intent of selling them to another inmate.

Eads made his initial appearance in court Wednesday afternoon, appearing before Putnam Superior Court Judge Denny Bridges on a charge of trafficking with an inmate, a Level 6 felony that is punishable by 1-6 years in prison.

A not-guilty plea was entered Wednesday on his behalf.

Eads is incarcerated at Putnamville on a 10-year sentence from Monroe County that was handed down in 2017.

Judge Bridges asked Eads for his prison release date, something an inmate normally has on the tip of his tongue.

Eads, however, said it had been June 2023 but he’s unsure now because he “lost time” due to his involvement in an unrelated prison incident.

According to the probable cause affidavit filed in the current case, the trafficking incident was reported on Sept. 10 during a visit by Bahia R. Bunge, 29, Indianapolis, who was caught allegedly attempting to smuggle Suboxone into the facility.

During a subsequent interview at PCF, Eads told investigators that he and Bunge had trafficked on two prior occasions, the first time in the drug Zanax and the latter also in Suboxone.

Their arrangement, Eads said, was for Bunge to secure the drugs and pay someone named Brandy, from whom she received the contraband at a Target store in Indianapolis.

When Bunge was intercepted at PCF before she could get the latest contraband to Eads, she reportedly carried 40 orange strips of Suboxone, a Schedule III controlled substance.

Each of those 40 strips reportedly could be cut into eight “hits” of Suboxone.

Bunge is facing felony charges of her own, including trafficking with an inmate, possession of a controlled substance and dealing in a controlled substance. Her case is being dealt with separately from that of Eads.

Judge Bridges, in setting future court dates in Eads’ case, indicated there need not be a rush to judgment.

“Chances are he’s not going anywhere in the next 365 days,” the judge said.

He then set a pretrial conference in the case for Jan. 27 at 9:30 a.m.