A 37-year-old Perry County woman has pleaded guilty to a felony drug charge in Spencer County Circuit Court stemming from a traffic stop last fall.
On March 12, 2026, Avery Northerner entered a guilty plea to Dealing in Methamphetamine, a Level 4 Felony. The charge originated in October 2025 when Indiana State Police conducted a traffic stop involving the vehicle in which Northerner was a passenger. During the stop, troopers confirmed Northerner had an active felony warrant out of Perry County for fraud.
Due to suspicious circumstances, a K-9 unit was deployed and alerted to the presence of narcotics. A subsequent search of the vehicle uncovered two separate bags of methamphetamine along with a digital scale hidden in concealed compartments. Authorities determined Northerner was in possession of the items and was involved in distributing the drug.
Under the terms of a plea agreement, Northerner will serve a fixed eight-year sentence. The Spencer County Circuit Court will determine where the sentence will be served after considering arguments from both the prosecution and defense. Under Indiana law, a Level 4 Felony carries a sentencing range of two to twelve years, with an advisory sentence of six years.
In addition to the Spencer County case, Northerner is also facing pending charges in Dubois County, including two counts of Dealing in Methamphetamine as Level 3 Felonies. Those charges stem from a multi-agency investigation known as Operation Snow White.
The Dubois County case remains pending, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
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