Jury Convicts Two of Dealing, Possessing Meth at Dearborn Co. Jail

A weeklong, joint trial concluded on February 10.

Daniel Creech and Matthew Gabbard. Photos by the Dearborn County Sheriff's Office. 

(Lawrenceburg, Ind.) – Two Dearborn County men have been convicted of dealing and possessing drugs at the Dearborn County Law Enforcement Center.

Daniel Creech, 40, of Lawrenceburg, and Matthew Gabbard, 33, of Aurora, were convicted by a Dearborn County Jury on February 10 after a weeklong, joint trial in Circuit Court.

According to a news release from Prosecutor Lynn Deddens, Gabbard and Creech, along with several other co-conspirators, devised a plan to have methamphetamine brought into the Dearborn County Law Enforcement Center on March 5-6, 2022.

Gabbard would need medical assistance after hallucinating from the consumption of methamphetamine.

The following charges were filed following the incident:

Creech

• Two Counts of Dealing in Methamphetamine in an Amount Between One (1) and Five (5) Grams, with Enhancing Circumstances (that the offenses were committed inside a penal facility), each Level 3 Felonies.
• One Count of Conspiracy to Deal in Methamphetamine in an Amount Between Five (5) and Ten (10) Grams, with Enhancing Circumstance, a Level 2 Felony.

Gabbard

• One Count of Conspiracy to Deal in Methamphetamine in an Amount Between Five (5) and Ten (10) Grams, with Enhancing Circumstance, a Level 2 Felony.
• Two Counts of Possession of Methamphetamine in an Amount Between Five (5) and Ten (10) Grams, with Enhancing Circumstances, each Level 4 Felonies.
• Two Counts of Possession of Methamphetamine in an Amount less than Five (5) Grams, with Enhancing Circumstances, each Level 5 Felonies.
• One Count of Dealing in Methamphetamine in an Amount less than One (1) Gram, with Enhancing Circumstance, a Level 4 Felony.

Following their conviction, both Creech and Gabbard pled guilty to Habitual Offender Sentencing Enhancement in exchange for the dismissal of the Criminal Organization Enhancement.

Sentencing is set for March 6 at 3:30 p.m. for Gabbard and April 11 at 10:30 a.m. for Creech. Both are facing 10 to 30 years for the highest felony they were convicted of. The habitual offender enhancement carries an additional penalty of six to 20 years.