This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.

  • Photo from Hancock County Sheriff's Office
  • Photo from Hancock County Sheriff's Office
  • Photo from Hancock County Sheriff's Office
  • Photo from Hancock County Sheriff's Office
  • Julissa Ortega
  • Edgar Gonzalez
  • Gary Rosas
  • Jasmine Ascencio

HENRY COUNTY, Ind. (Jan. 29, 2016) – A traffic stop Monday netted four arrests and 15 pounds of heroin worth an estimated $680,000.

Around 10:30 a.m. Monday, a deputy with the Hancock County Sheriff’s Department stopped a vehicle for following too closely on Interstate 70 in Henry County. Deputy Nick Ernstes received a “hit” on the car’s license plate indicating it was wanted or stolen.

Ernstes, a member of Pro-Active Criminal Enforcement (PACE), a multi-agency task force, noted suspicious activity from the driver and passengers and smelled marijuana. The occupants gave conflicting stories and were in possession of cocaine, police said.

Ernstes contacted other officers from PACE to help with the traffic stop. A search turned up six large plastic wrapped bundles hidden under the center console of the vehicle. Police said the packages contained 15 pounds of heroin.

Police arrested four people from California:

  • Gary Rosas, 26, Modesto, Calif. – possession of marijuana, possession of paraphernalia, dealing heroin
  • Edgar Gonzalez, 26, Commerce, Calif. – possession of marijuana, dealing heroin
  • Julissa Ortega, 26, Los Angeles, Calif. – possession of marijuana, possession of cocaine, dealing herion
  • Jasmine Ascencio, 23, Montebello, Calif. – possession of marijuana, dealing heroin

PACE includes officers from the Henry County Sheriff’s Office, Hancock County Sheriff’s Office and Richmond Police Department.