By FIRST SGT. CHAD HILL
Kosciusko County Public Information Officer

Four people are in jail after the culmination of a week-long drug investigation in Kosciusko County.

The Kosciusko County Drug Task Force responded May 1 to an anonymous report of possible methamphetamine production at the location of 3559 S. Palestine Lane, Warsaw. Upon arrival, officers observed numerous meth labs, along with methamphetamine precursors.

Warsaw Police Narcotics Unit officers, along with the Indiana State Police Meth Team, arrived and dismantled the scene. Officers were able to secure warrants and serve them today at approximately 10 a.m. on Steve Scott Lattea, 43, and Dana Lynn Fife, 34. Lattea and Fife were both arrested and preliminarily charged with felony possession of methamphetamine. Lattea was additionally charged with felony manufacturing methamphetamine. Lattea is being held on a $4,000 bond, while Fife has been issued a $2,000 bond.

Drug Task Force officers responded later in the afternoon to the town of Silver Lake, again in a response to potential methamphetamine production. Officers from the Drug Task Force and the Silver Lake Police Department arrived at the address of 310 N. High Street, and subsequently observed a one-pot method methamphetamine lab, along with numerous meth precursors and finished methamphetamine inside the residence.

Located and taken into custody were residents James Chester Shuster, 47, and Jodi Ann Pruitt, 45. Both Shuster and Pruitt were arrested and preliminarily charged with felony dealing methamphetamine. Their bonds were each set at $20,000.

The Kosciusko County Drug Task Force was assisted in the investigations and arrests by the Warsaw Police Narcotic Unit, Indiana State Police, Silver Lake Police Department, Kosciusko County Prosecutor’s Office and the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department.