An Animal complaint lead to gun and drug charges for a Serious Violent Felon.
On Wednesday, the Martin County Sheriff’s Office received a complaint concerning abandoned puppies at a house in Loogootee. A Martin County Animal Control Officer and an officer with the Martin County Sheriff’s Office headed to the scene.
Upon arrival, the officers spoke with a man sleeping in a vehicle. Officers advised him of the complaint and the man told the officers that he had the puppies in his vehicle. The puppies were present in the backseat of the vehicle and the male was identified as 45-year-old Michael Hert of Loogootee. While speaking with Hert, officers smelled marijuana coming from inside the vehicle. The officers ordered Hert to exit the vehicle twice with Mr. Hert refusing both times.
An officer attempted to open the vehicle door but it was locked. The officer then reached through the window to open the door from the inside. Hert rolled up the window on the officers arm, however the officer was able to open the door from the inside and free his arm from the window. Hert was then detained in handcuffs and more officers arrived to search his vehicle.
The search resulted in officers locating a firearm with an obliterated serial number, one gram of methamphetamine, 341 grams of marijuana, one syringe that contained residue that field tested positive for methamphetamine, three burnt hand-rolled cigarettes containing marijuana, and one digital scale with meth on it.
Hert was arrested and transported to the Martin County Security Center. Animal Control took care of the puppies.
Hert was charged with a Level 4 Felony Count of Possession of a Firearm by a Serious Violent Felon, a Level 5 Felony of Possession of Methamphetamine w/ Enhancing Circumstance, a Level 5 Felony of Possession of a Firearm w/ Obliterated Serial Number, a Level 6 Felony of Unlawful Possession of a Syringe, a Level 6 Felony count of Battery to Law Enforcement, a Class A Misdemeanor .of Resisting Law Enforcement, a Class A Misdemeanor Count of Dealing in Marijuana, and a Class B Misdemeanor Count of Possession of Marijuana.
