A heroin exchange on Oct. 22 in a Porter County Jail inmate’s hospital room at Porter Valparaiso Campus has led to charges against four persons, the Porter County Drug Task Force (DTF) said.

Dereck J. Ewing, 28, of Crown Point, was charged with conspiracy to commit dealing in a narcotic drug, a Class B felony punishable by a term of six to 20 years; and possession of a narcotic drug, a Class D felony punishable by a term of six months to three years. Ewing, a PCJ inmate, had been previously charged with dealing in a Schedule III controlled substance, also a Class B felony, and was being hospitalized on the night in question on a sick pass from the jail.

Also charged with conspiracy to commit dealing in a narcotic drug and possession of a narcotic drug were Cassandra Marie Taylor, 25, of 488N 325E in Washington Township; Joseph William McChristian, 45, of 155 Spectacle Drive in Valparaiso; and Ryan Samuel Cano, 20, of Crown Point.

According to the probable cause affidavit filed by DTF Coordinator Bob Taylor, on the evening of Oct. 22 Valparaiso Police officers were dispatched to Ewing’s room at Porter hospital—where Taylor, McChristian, and Cano were visiting—after a security guard had observed Ewing and Taylor, his girlfriend, flushing something down the toilet in Ewing’s bathroom. The security guard advised the officers that a nurse had alerted him to a possible drug exchange after overhearing Ewing earlier in the evening asking on the telephone “Did you get the stuff? When are you coming up?”

The security guard confronted Taylor and informed her that he had reason to believe narcotics were being delivered to Ewing, Bob Taylor stated in his affidavit. Taylor then provided the security guard “with one full plastic baggy of what was later field-tested as positive for heroin and another small baggy with residue.”

“One baggy of what was later determined to be heroin was located in Ewing’s macaroni and cheese on his dinner plate,” Bob Taylor stated. “Two other baggies were located on Cano. In addition, two nearly empty baggies were removed from McChristian’s sock. Cano stated that he had a spoon and syringes in his car.”

Under questioning both Taylor and McChristian admitted driving to Chicago that day to purchase 10 baggies of heroin, some of which they used on the way back, Bob Taylor stated.

For his part Cano admitted exchanging with Ewing a bottle of Xanax for a bottle of Oxycodone, Bob Taylor further stated.

Taylor, McChristian, and Cano were transported to Porter County Jail. Ewing had originally been charged with dealing in a Schedule III controlled substance after he sold six tablets of Suboxone to a confidential informant for $85 on Oct. 15, according to an earlier probable cause affidavit filed by Bob Taylor. Bond had been set in the case at $20,000.

Posted 10/30/2009