Four Arrested On Drug Charges During Traffic Stop In Aurora

The traffic stop took place late Saturday night along U.S. 50.

Left to right: Dakota Smith, Keegan Louden, Nitoshia Carpenter, and Brandon Conner. Photos by the Dearborn County Sheriff's Office. 

(Aurora, Ind.) - Four individuals from southeastern Indiana have been arrested on drug charges after a traffic stop in Dearborn County. 

While on routine patrol on December 12, an Aurora Police officer observed a red 2015 Chevrolet Equinox with damage to the front driver's side fender. The vehicle was stopped at a red light on U.S. 50 at the intersection of State Road 148 when it proceeded through the intersection while the traffic light was red. 

Police caught up to the vehicle and made the traffic stop at a gas station in Aurora. 

During the stop, police encountered four occupants in the vehicle, including the driver, Dakota Smith (Lawrenceburg), Brandon Conner (Aurora), Keegan Louden (Aurora), and Nitoshia Carpenter (Moores Hill), whom the vehicle was registered to. 

Police had received information a week prior that Carpenter had been allegedly transporting Conner and Louden to Cincinnati to buy methamphetamine and heroin, which would be sold in the local area. 

All four occupants were asked to step out of the vehicle and were patted-down. While issuing a warning for disregarding a traffic control device, the Lawrenceburg Police K-9 unit was requested to conduct a free-air sniff of the vehicle. K-9 Kilo indicated the presence of illegal narcotics, leading to a probable cause search of the vehicle and the persons. 

According to a probable cause affidavit, police located smoking pipes, digital scales, cut straws, multiple baggies, some of which contained powder-like residue, later confirmed as methamphetamine, a counterfeit $100 bill, tinfoil, two large knives, an SOG hand axe, capped syringes, marijuana, vials of Naloxone, Oxycodone and other drug paraphernalia.  

Police say none of the four took ownership of the items located in the vehicle. 

All four were taken into custody and charged with Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent (Level 3 Felony), Possession of Methamphetamine (Level 5 Felony), Possession of a Syringe (Level 6 Felony), and Counterfeiting (Level 6 Felony). 

Smith and Carpenter are facing an additional charge of Maintaining a Common Nuisance (Level 6 Felony), while Connor and Louden are charged with Visiting a Common Nuisance (Class B Misdemeanor).  

All four individuals were scheduled to have their initial appearance in Dearborn County Court on Tuesday morning. 

Smith is held in Dearborn County Law Enforcement Center on $125,000 cash only bond. Bond amounts Louden, Carpenter, and Connor are unknown at this time.