JAY COUNTY, Ind. – Video surveillance taken at a Portland barn uncovered several instances of a group of adults smoking meth with kids present in the room, with one testing positive for meth in their system.
Court records showed that 40-year-old Joseph A. Green of Geneva was charged with neglect of a dependent, visiting a common nuisance and a habitual offender enhancement on Aug. 8.
Green’s young son was reportedly born in 2021 and tested positive for meth in his system.
The probable cause showed that the charges stemmed from visits to a north Jay County barn investigators discovered after a woman was reportedly violating her parole.
On July 25, sheriff’s deputies accompanied probation officials to search the property of 25-year-old Paige N. Curtis after she was accused of violating her parole. When officers arrived, they couldn’t find Curtis.
But after talking to the man on the property and obtaining a search warrant, investigators said they found drug paraphernalia, smoking pipes and guns.
Officers then took a man living on the property identified as 32-year-old Dillion W. Stolz into custody. Curtis and Stolz were later charged with related counts of drug possession and maintaining a common nuisance.
Court documents detail that investigators viewed surveillance footage showing three other individuals doing drugs and smoking with kids in the room including Green.
Police also said 38-year-old Travis J. Minnich was seen on video smoking with his son, young daughter and both Stolz and Curtis.
Green was also seen smoking with his young son which eventually led to neglect charges after the boy tested positive for meth in his system.
Records showed 53-year-old Christy A. Robbins was in the room while they were smoking around the kids in July. Both Robbins and Minnich were preliminarily charged with visiting a common nuisance and child endangerment.
Department of Child Services got involved since the investigation involved several juveniles.
Green was officially charged with neglect of a dependent, visiting a common nuisance, and a habitual offender enhancement.
His initial hearing is scheduled for Aug. 16.
