Kokomo man gets 11 years in drug investigation

A Kokomo man who pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute has now been sentenced to 11 years in federal prison.

Jerry Glenn, 36, was originally arrested in September 2021 on a felony charge of distribution of controlled substances as part of a wider drug investigation known as Operation Routine Maintenance, per a media release by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana.

The 9-month drug investigation from January 2021 to September 2021 included officers with the Kokomo Police Department’s Drug Task Force and the DEA initiating 36 controlled buy investigations around the Kokomo area, according to court documents.

The controlled buys resulted in the seizure of around 775 grams — around 1.75 pounds — of methamphetamine, court documents noted, as well as 40 felony charges against 16 people.

Five of those individuals — including Glenn — were also arrested on federal charges.

Police said at the time they believed all of the 16 arrested during the investigation are residents of Howard County.

As for his role in the investigation, court documents said that around 4 a.m. July 18, 2021, KPD officers found Glenn asleep in the driver’s seat of his parked vehicle.

Officers then reportedly offered Glenn a ride home.

But before placing him in the squad car, officers reportedly searched Glenn and recovered 139 grams of methamphetamine that was inside his back pocket, court records noted.

Glenn was taken into custody, and police say he also had several previous drug convictions at the time of his arrest.

“Methamphetamine and other controlled substances are killing far too many Hoosiers and have devastating impacts on users, their loved ones, and our communities,” Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, said in Friday’s media release. “Repeat drug dealers like this defendant must be held accountable for the suffering they cause in search of quick profits. I commend the efforts of the DEA and Kokomo Police Department to make our communities safer by getting meth and meth dealers off our streets.”