Staff Report

Coty Allan Prater

MENTONE — Two people face multiple charges after a stolen vehicle report resulted in the discovery of drugs.

Coty Allan Prater, 35, 1212 E. 300S, Warsaw, is charged with possession of methamphetamine, possession of a syringe, theft, and sentence enhancement possession of a controlled substance, all level 6 felonies; possession of a controlled substance, a class A misdemeanor; and sentence enhancement possession of methamphetamine, a level 5 felony.

Arthure Fields Jr., 28, 4265 S. 1150W, Mentone, is charged with possession of methamphetamine and possession of a narcotic drug, both level 5 felonies; possession of marijuana, a class B misdemeanor; possession of paraphernalia, a class C misdemeanor; possession of marijuana with a prior conviction, a level 6 felony; and possession of paraphernalia with a prior conviction, a class A misdemeanor.

On June 26, the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office received a report about unauthorized control of a 2014 brown Ford Edge. The vehicle’s owner said the Ford Edge’s keys had been hidden from Prater, but that Prater must have found the keys and taken the vehicle without permission to a location in Mentone.

KCSO officers found the Ford Edge on the northeast side of a property in Mentone. Officers also noticed two men working on a vehicle on the south side of the property. One of the men was Fields.

According to court documents, while speaking with Fields and the other man, officers saw an individual walking away from them quickly. Two of the officers started heading in the direction of the individual walking away from them.

While pursuing the individual, the officers walked past a travel trailer with its entry door open. In plain sight, officers noticed a broken glass smoking device with residue in the trailer.

The officers then spoke with the individual who had walked away from them quickly and identified him as Prater.

When asked about the Ford Edge, Prater said he asked the owners about using the vehicle. In Prater’s presence, one of the officers contacted the vehicle’s owners and advised that Prater was saying he had permission to use the vehicle. The Ford Edge’s owners said Prater did not have permission.

While being taken into custody for unauthorized control of the vehicle, officers asked Prater if he had anything on his person that may harm officers. Prater then began emptying his pockets and officers noticed a needle and syringe fall to the ground. The plunger within the syringe tested positive for methamphetamine.

It was also determined that Fields resided in the travel trailer. Fields denied consent for the trailer to be searched. Officers then obtained a search warrant for the trailer.

While searching the trailer, officers found various drug paraphernalia, 176.5 grams of a green/brown plant material, methamphetamine residue, and one hydrocodone pill.

Upon searching the area of the property where officers had found Prater, officers discovered a container. Inside the container were two small plastic bags. One of the plastic bags contained 2.6 grams of methamphetamine. The other bag contained 18 pills of hydrocodone.

Prater was previously convicted of dealing methamphetamine and methamphetamine possession in Kosciusko County in July 2014. He was also convicted of methamphetamine possession in Kosciusko County in January 2019.

For this case, Prater has already been arrested and released on his own recognizance. He has an initial hearing at 8:15 a.m. Thursday, July 14, in Kosciusko Circuit Court.

A warrant was issued for Fields’ arrest on July 6.