Aurora, IN—Tuesday, Prosecutor Lynn Deddens announced the arrest of Elijah Widener, 41, following a days-long investigation into alleged methamphetamine dealing in Dearborn County.
Deddens stated, “Methamphetamine and Fentanyl are dangerous drugs and I am certainly relieved to have made progress toward stopping the flow of these drugs being trafficked in our community,” said Deddens following the arrest.
On January 30, Widener was arrested on multiple allegations including possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine exceeding 28 grams, possession of a syringe, possession of a narcotic drug, and possession of marijuana.
After receiving information regarding Widener’s activities relative to drug trafficking, including recent trips to Cincinnati to purchase large amounts of methamphetamine, The investigation led officers to Wideners’s last known residence. Police noticed an individual walking from the area of the residence who entered a 2003 gray Volkswagen, identified by plate to be registered to Chris Cunningham. The police recognized the male who entered the vehicle in the passenger seat to be Widener and proceeded to conduct mobile surveillance of the car. Police followed the car to Hamilton County, Ohio to known drug trafficking areas. A detective alleges he observed a hand to hand transaction between the occupants of the gray Volkswagen and an unknown male. After following the vehicle back into Dearborn County, officers noticed minor traffic violations prompting a traffic stop.
Police made contact with the diver, Cunningham, and confirmed he owned the vehicle. They also made contact with the male passenger, who was then identified as Widener. Upon questioning, Cunningham alleged that he picked up Widener from his apartment on 2nd Street in Aurora and took him to the St. Bernard Area of Cincinnati to buy drugs and that Widener had spent a couple 
of hundred dollars on “ice.”
The Dearborn County K-9, was then deployed on the vehicle and gave a positive alert to the odor of narcotics. A probable cause search of the car was then completed., locating a pencil pouch with (8) syringes and drug paraphernalia, a folded lottery ticket containing Fentanyl. Both men were then taken into custody and transported to the Dearborn County Law Enforcement Center. Once at the jail, a large object presumptively determined to be a plastic bag containing a crystal-like substance consistent with methamphetamine was found on Widener. In addition, plant material consistent with marijuana was found along with (3) unknown pills.
