LUCERNE — Two Lucerne men were arrested on drug charges Friday following the service of a search warrant by the Lake County Sheriff”s Office (LCSO) Narcotics Task Force (NTF).
Stephen M. Poppe, 26, and Joshua T. Colcleaser, 24, were booked into Lake County Jail on felony charges of possessing controlled substances and marijuana for sales and misdemeanor possession of narcotics paraphernalia.
Colcleaser was charged with resisting arrest as well. Captain Jim Bauman said both men posted $10,000 bail each and were released later Friday night.
According to Bauman, on Oct. 29 Superior Court Judge Arthur Mann signed a search warrant for the home of William Mueller, 25, after a two-month investigation into the suspected sales of controlled substances. The warrant was executed on Mueller”s Country Club Drive home in Lucerne on Friday.
Bauman said as detectives approached the residence, at about 12:20 p.m., Colcleaser started to exit the house from a kitchen door but ran back in and slammed the door when he saw the detectives.
“Detectives forced entry into the kitchen and pursued him into the house where he was arrested without further incident,” Bauman said. “Detectives also located 26-year-old Stephen Poppe sitting in an adjacent living room and he was detained in handcuffs without incident. Mueller was not found in the home.”
Bauman said search of the home led to the seizure of various small amounts of suspected methamphetamine, marijuana, items of narcotics paraphernalia and other evidence of narcotics sales.
Detectives allegedly recovered just less than two grams of suspected methamphetamine and more than four pounds of processed marijuana, found in various stages of packaging.
Bauman said scales, smoking pipes and other paraphernalia were recovered as well.
According to Bauman, while Mueller was the subject of the initial investigation, he is not actively wanted by the LCSO but he is expected to face narcotics charges as they are filed with the District Attorney”s Office.
Poppe was arrested on drug charges in October as well, following service of a search warrant by the NTF that was executed after a month-long investigation.
According to Bauman, more than 10 ounces of crystal methamphetamine was seized in relation to Poppe”s October arrest.
