(Brookville, IN) – A woman has been arrested in Franklin County and is facing a felony charge in connection with an out-of-state burglary ring.
Franklin County Prosecutor Chris Huerkamp says 29-year-old Alison Lopez of Queens Village, New York has been charged with Unlawful Use of Signal Jammer (Level 6 felony) as a result of a multi-jurisdictional investigation that involved both local and out-of-state law enforcement agencies.
Court documents indicate Franklin County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Gregory Mehlbauer was contacted by Indiana State Police about an ongoing investigation into a series of residential burglaries in the Greater Cincinnati area.
During the investigation, it was determined that four suspects were believed to have rented an Airbnb cabin in Franklin County and surveillance of the property was set up.
On January 22, three of the four suspects were seen leaving the Airbnb and were arrested for their alleged roles in an attempted residential burglary in West Chester, Ohio.
Huerkamp says one of the suspects got away.
The suspect, identified as Lopez, was eventually arrested during a traffic stop conducted by two Franklin County deputies.
During a search of the Airbnb, investigators located a number of tools and equipment believed to have been used in the burglaries, including an electronic device capable of interfering with Wi-Fi and cellular signals.
Huerkamp says, under recently-enacted Indiana Law, a person who knowingly or intentionally possesses, uses, or operates a device designed to intentionally block, jam, or interfere with licensed or authorized radio communication—including personal communications devices, police radar, GPS, and wireless networking services—commits Unlawful Use of a Signal Jammer. The law went into effect on July 1, 2025.
Lopez entered a preliminary not guilty plea at her initial hearing on January 27 and was jailed on a cash bond, which was posted on her behalf.
She remains in the Franklin County Security Center while awaiting extradition to Butler County, Ohio.
Huerkamp says it is not believed that any additional criminal activity associated with Lopez or her alleged associates has occurred in Franklin County.
