Lake City Bank officials contacted the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department regarding potential fraudulent use of stolen checks from The Vineyard Church in Syracuse.
Detectives made contact with church officials and determined through the course of the investigation, that video surveillance positively identified Andrew Steven Secor, 30, of Warsaw, as the suspect cashing the checks.
Officers from KCSD, Syracuse Police Department and North Webster Police Department were able to apprehend Secor who led them to a hotel in Syracuse.
Inside the hotel room, officers located a female, Melissa Lynn Wheeler, 36, of Pierceton, along with syringes, methamphetamine, and other drug paraphernalia. Secor was arrested and preliminarily charged with felony fraud, theft, possession of methamphetamine and possession of syringe for the use of a legend drug. He was also determined to have an active body attachment warrant and is currently placed on a prosecutorial hold. Wheeler was arrested and preliminarily charged with possession of paraphernalia.
According to KCSD detectives, the investigation then expanded to additional information that led officers to 422 South Union Street in Warsaw to attempt to locate a wanted subject on an active Kosciusko County warrant.
Warsaw and KCSD officers met with Madison Chase May, 18, of Warsaw, who confirmed that a one Jessie Lee Savant, Jr., 55, of Warsaw, was inside the residence, but refused to exit. While at the doorway, officers viewed a male subject attempting to flee the building through a window, but retreated back inside.
Officers contacted the Kosciusko County Prosecutor’s Office and then entered into the dwelling, locating drug paraphernalia. Also located inside the residence was Brady Lee Shepherd, 26, of Mentone, and Brian Keith Noll, 42, of Warsaw. Shepherd was determined to have active felony warrants for failure to appear and domestic battery. Noll was determined to have an active felony warrant for burglary. May was arrested and preliminarily charged with felony fraud. Savant was determined to have active felony warrants for failure to appear and probation violation, and was subsequently arrested on preliminary charges of felony fraud and forgery with a prosecutorial hold.
KCSD detectives stated that additional charges are possible, as the investigation is on-going.
