An undercover drug investigation in July by Kosciusko County Drug Task Force allegedly led to a burglary, a victim getting severly battered and two arrests.
Kyle J. Brooke and Heather Lynn May were both arrested Wednesday afternoon. May, 30, of 1834 Sharon St., Warsaw, was arrested for aiding Brooke with burglary and battery, as well as possessing and dealing heroin. Brooke, 27, of 1205 Wooster Road, Winona Lake, was faces preliminary charges of burglary, battery while armed with a deadly weapon and intimidation with a deadly weapon.
According to Kosciusko County officials, a confidential informant for the Drug Task Force purchased heroin from May on July 6. The informant met with an officer earlier that day who provided the informant with audio equipment to monitor any interactions and $100 to purchase heroin. The informant led the officer to May’s residence where he purchased $90 of heroin from May, who stated she had up to $600 of heroin. Drug Task Force confirmed that the informant purchased the heroin from May.
A Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department officer confronted May on July 13, where she questioned who the informant was. She appeared to have some idea who the informant was, stating that she believed it was a male. Then on July 29, KCSD received information that a local male was severly beaten by May and Brooke due to a prior drug purchase.
KCSD spoke with the victim, who had a bruised forehead, swelling and bruising above and below both eyes and a swollen upper lip, on July 30. He advised the officer that May and Brooke broke into the victim’s home on July 21, possibly believing that he was the said informant. May and Brooke began yelling and screaming at him, wanting to know where two other “snitches” were.
Brooke started a struggle between the two as he put a folding knife to the victim’s neck. The victim’s hand was cut in the process. Brooke then violently headbutted the victim and continued to beat him. Brooke held the knife to the victim’s stomach and groin area and threatened to kill him if he did not leave town within 24 hours. The victim stated that he did move out of his residence due to fear of Brooke finding him.
The victim has experienced extreme pain, headaches and nosebleeds since the incident.
Both Brooke and May have been booked into Kosciusko County Jail with $50,250 and $65,500 bonds respectively.
(Story By The Times Union)