Columbus man facing drug dealing charge

Bartholomew County authorities say that a long-term investigation led to the arrest of a Columbus man on drug-dealing charges last week.

According to the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department, the county’s Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team and Intelligence Led Policing Unit had been conducting surveillance on a man believed to be distributing crack cocaine and methamphetamine. While observing the man driving, police noticed a traffic violation and pulled over the vehicle on Wednesday. A search of the vehicle uncovered 97 grams of methamphetamine and 3 and a half grams of crack cocaine.

Police arrested 53-year-old Leonard Marshall on charges including dealing in and possessing methamphetamine and possessing cocaine. Authorities say that additional charges are possible and the investigation is ongoing.

The Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team is a combined unit of the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office, the Columbus Police Department and the Bartholomew County Prosecutor’s Office. It targets the manufacturing and abuse of dangerous drugs in Columbus and Bartholomew County.