Correction Officer Among Those Arrested In Drug Roundup

FRANKLIN, Ind. -- Franklin police have made a major dent in the city's drug problem, officials said, arresting 14 people in a drug crackdown.

"Almost all are charged with dealing some form of drugs; some pills, heroine, some meth, some cocaine and some good, old fashioned marijuana," Johnson County Chief Deputy Prosecutor Brad Cooper told 6News' Ben Morriston.

Among those arrested was Brandon M. Bay, 25, a correction officer at the Johnson County Jail, police said. Undercover officers said they were able to buy pills from him while he was in uniform. He was then fired.

Also arrested was Heater Peters, 23, who worked at a Franklin Walgreens, where police said she stole 400 painkillers and sold them on the street.

Johnson County prosecutors said 85 percent of the cases they handle involve people on drugs or people committing crimes to get drugs. They hope by cutting off the drug flow into the community, they will cut crime overall.

"What we want to do is target the drug dealers and hit them hard so they go somewhere else or spend the rest of their time in the department of correction where they're not dealing anything to anybody," said Franklin Deputy Police Chief Tim O'Sullivan.

Police said they expect to arrest at least another dozen people in connection with the drug crackdown.