Police: Man had 18 pounds of dope sent to Alex home

A Texas man faces felony drug charges after police say he had nearly 20 pounds of marijuana delivered to an Alexandria home.

Daniel Rodriguez, 24, Mission, Texas, faces charges of maintaining a common nuisance and possession of marijuana, both Class D felonies. He made an initial court appearance Monday, where an automatic not-guilty plea was entered.

Delaware County sheriff’s detectives received information at 7:30 a.m. Saturday about a suspicious package at a FedEx in Muncie, according to a probable cause affidavit filed with the charges. The package contained 18 pounds of marijuana and was to be sent to an East 11th Street apartment in Alexandria.

An undercover Delaware County Drug Task Force detective posed as a delivery person, went to the apartment and Rodriguez signed for the package. The Madison County Drug Task Force partnered in the investigation.

A woman resident told police she was to receive $500 from Rodriguez for letting him use her address, according to court documents, but it wasn’t immediately clear if she’ll face any charges.

Rodriguez refused to speak with officers. He is being held on $5,000 bond.



15-year-old girl arrested for beating fellow student

A 15-year-old girl was arrested after she battered a fellow student at Anderson High School on Thursday.

According to court papers, Anderson police Officer Shannon Cleckley was working security at the school when he was called to the office on a report of a battery. The teen told Cleckley she struck another girl in the face several times about 11:30 a.m.

The other girl, whose age wasn’t included in the court papers, blacked out and had to be taken to the nurse’s office. She was later taken to a city hospital for observation, but apparently only suffered swelling on her forehead and behind an ear. What sparked the incident wasn’t included in the court document.

Cleckley arrested the girl on the battery charge and released her into her father’s custody.



Police: Man caught with his pants down

An Anderson man faces a public nudity charge after police found him with his pants pulled down Thursday afternoon.

Officer Darin Benson was dispatched to the intersection of 14th and Pearl streets shortly before 1 p.m. on a report of a man exposing himself. When Benson arrived, he discovered Robbie A. Gary, 44, exposing his genitals, according to a probable cause affidavit.

Gary was arrested on suspicion of public indecency, a Class A misdemeanor, and was being held in the Madison County Jail on $4,000 bond late Monday.





Man arraigned for allegedly beating pregnant girlfriend

A man accused of battering his pregnant girlfriend, likely causing her to go into premature labor, made an initial court appearance Monday on a new, more serious charge.

James L. Ratliff, 25, Anderson, now faces a count of battery resulting in bodily injury to a pregnant woman, a Class C felony punishable by two to eight years in prison, if convicted.

Ratliff had already been charged with domestic battery and battery resulting in bodily injury, both Class D felonies that carry a sentence of six months to three years.

Ratliff is accused of battering his 20-year-old pregnant girlfriend, Cassey K. Huffman, on Aug. 27 inside the home they shared in the 3500 block of Dye Court. According to a probable cause affidavit filed with the charges, Huffman was five months pregnant. She gave birth at an Indianapolis hospital the next day to a boy, Camdon, who died a short while later.

Investigators are still trying to determine whether the incident was a factor in the boy’s death.

Ratliff is being held without bond at the Madison County Jail for allegedly violating the terms of his probation for an earlier child molestation conviction.



Girl hurt after being hit by vehicle

A girl was taken to a city hospital after she was struck while riding her bicycle Monday night.

Anderson police were called to the intersection of Ninth and Henry streets shortly after 8 p.m. Initially the girl, whose name and age have not been released, was reported as being unconscious.

She was awake when taken to a city hospital, police said, but her condition wasn’t immediately known. Her injuries aren’t believed to be life threatening, police said.