Tony Clemons, Jr., 36, of rural Knox, was sentenced Thursday, December 4, in Marshall Superior Court Number 1 to 10 years imprisonment for conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine at a residence on 8th Road in Marshall County. In open court, Clemons admitted he had actively assisted in the manufacture of methamphetamine on several occasions at the 8th Road address.
Judge Robert O. Bowen approved an agreement reached between Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Nelson Chipman and defense attorney Tom A. Black, which provided that in exchange for a plea of guilty to the conspiracy charge, the remaining counts would be dismissed and the State would recommend an executed sentence of 10 years in prison, with no part of the sentence suspended.
The case began on July 2, 2014 when two Indiana Parole Officers requested assistance from Marshall County Sheriff’s Deputy Jonathon Bryant to check on Clemons who was on parole from a previous conviction of burglary from another county. Clemons had failed a drug test previously administered by his parole officer.
The parole officers arrived at the residence while local law enforcement officers remained hidden a distance away. No one answered the knock on the door. The parole officers observed immediately next to the house a burn pile with remnants of methamphetamine labs. Consequently, Officer Bryant met with Indiana State Police Trooper Jason Faulstich and the two prepared an application for a search warrant that was approved by Judge Dean Colvin. The officers returned to the 8th Road address to serve the warrant. Other officers had stayed at the address to ensure no one came or left the property.
Upon entering the house, Clemons was discovered to have been there the whole time, as was a female owner or tenant of the premises. The search revealed numerous items associated with the manufacture of meth. The two persons were then arrested and were subsequently charged with Conspiracy to Manufacture Meth; Possession of Methamphetamine; Possession of Precursors with Intent to Manufacture Meth; Maintaining a Common Nuisance and Possession of Paraphernalia. Other officers providing assistance included Brandon Cooper, Joseph Giordano, Les McFarland, Phillipe Beam, and Travis Oneal of the Marshall County Police Department, and officers from the Indiana State Police Clandestine Lab Team.
