Drug Bust Gets Over 28 Grams Of Meth Off Dearborn Co. Streets

Dearborn County Special Crimes Unit officers made the drug bust on January 28.

Elijah J. Widener (left) and Christopher J. Cunningham. Photos by the Dearborn County Sheriff's Office. 

(Aurora, Ind.) - Two men were arrested following a drug bust in Dearborn County

Elijah J. Widener, 41, of Aurora, and Christopher J. Cunningham, 38, of Sunman, were taken into custody on January 28 by Dearborn County Special Crimes Unit (SCU) officers. 

SCU began investigating Elijah Widener on January 23. During the investigation, officers learned that Widener was selling two to three ounces of methamphetamine daily. Widener allegedly purchased half a pound of methamphetamine per day from a male in Cincinnati. 

On January 28, officers acquired a search warrant for Widener's mobile device. While awaiting information from the cellular carrier, officers were in the area of Widener's Second Street apartment in Aurora. At that time, Widener was seen leaving the area in a gray Volkswagen driven by Cunningham. 

Officers conducted mobile surveillance from Dearborn County to Hamilton County, Ohio, where they observed a hand-to-hand transaction between the occupants of the gray Volkswagen and an unknown male. 

When Widener and Cunningham returned to Dearborn County, officers noticed their vehicle did not have an operational license plate light and initiated a traffic stop. During the stop, Cunningham allegedly told police that he took Widener to Cincinnati to buy drugs and that Widener had drugs on him. 

Dearborn County Sheriff K-9 Jetta was called to the scene and gave a positive alert to the odor of narcotics in the vehicle. Officers then conducted a probable cause search of the vehicle, where they allegedly found eight syringes and other drug paraphernalia items. According to the police report, Cunningham allegedly admitted to using heroin/fentanyl within the last two hours. 

Cunningham and Widener were taken into custody and transported to the Dearborn County Law Enforcement Center. While being booked into jail, officers say they found Widener in possession of 29.9 grams of methamphetamine, marijuana and three unknown pills. 

Following their arrest, officers searched Widener's home, where they allegedly located multiple digital scales, a large amount of plastic baggies, multiple cell phones, and a crystal-like residue consistent with methamphetamine. 

Widener is charged with Dealing in Methamphetamine (Level 2 Felony), Possession of Methamphetamine Exceeding 28 Grams (Level 3 Felony), Possession of a Narcotic Drug (Level 6 Felony), Possession of a Syringe (Level 6 Felony) and Possession of Marijuana (Class A Misdemeanor). 

Cunningham is charged with Possession of a Narcotic Drug (Level 6 Felony) and Possession of a Syringe (Level 6 Felony). 

Both remain in Dearborn County Jail. Widener is held on $75,000 surety bond and $2,500 cash bond.