Deputy allegedly helped felon with drug ring, gave him police gun
A sheriff’s deputy in Indiana helped a convicted felon move large amounts of drugs and even gave the man his department-issued firearm for “protection,” authorities say.
Delaware County Deputy Jerry Parks, 37, was arrested late Thursday at his home in Muncie after a 6-month probe into a drug ring that led to more than a dozen other arrests, The Star Press reports.
Police seized nearly $90,000 in suspected drug money as a result of the busts — as well as 1 pound of heroin, 5 ounces of meth, 20 grams of cocaine, 15 pounds of marijuana and seven handguns. But the investigation took a wild turn after one of the suspects — Danny Terry, 33, who was charged Tuesday with 14 drug-related counts – was caught by authorities talking on the phone with Parks, who gave him “information … about an undercover narcotics officer,” newspaper reported.
Terry later told investigators about his connection to Parks, whom authorities allege held onto Terry’s drugs for “safe-keeping” and gave the convicted felon his “duty-issued service weapon” for protection while transporting drug money. Parks also gave Terry narcotics he had seized while working as a sheriff’s deputy, authorities say.
While wearing a recording device, authorities then set up a meeting between Terry and Parks, during which the felon took 12 pounds of marijuana to Parks’ home and said he needed a place to keep it.
Parks then made “multiple phone calls” while trying to find a landing spot for the pot, before ultimately telling his wife, Bridgette Suzanne Parks, to put the bag in the trunk of her car. The couple’s two children were home at the time.
But investigators feel the ordeal helped prove that the two men had worked together several times before.
“During the interaction between Parks and Terry, they can be heard discussing prior occasions in which Terry had Parks hold onto drugs for him,” one cop wrote.
Parks, who has been released on bond, was charged with aiding, inducing or causing dealing in heroin, aiding, inducing or causing dealing in marijuana, attempted dealing in marijuana and two counts of neglect of a dependent.
Parks’ wife was also arrested and charged with neglect of a dependent and attempted dealing in marijuana. She has also been released on bond, The Star Press reports.
Parks, who is now on administrative leave from the department, was also stripped of all “department-issued police equipment,” according to a statement by Delaware County Sheriff Ray Dudley.
“We are all saddened by this recent turn of events as any time a police officer disgraces himself it reflects negatively not only on his department, but on the entire law enforcement profession,” the statement said.