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July 15, 2012

Anderson County man arrested on multiple drug charges

By PAUL STONE Palestine Herald-Press

PALESTINE — A 37-year-old Anderson County man whom authorities say had been living at a local hotel for approximately seven months was arrested on multiple drug charges Friday afternoon by Anderson County sheriff's authorities.

Carlos R. Coleman, 37, who listed an Elkhart address, had been living at the Express Hotel & Suites on East Palestine Avenue for "over 200 days" and was trafficking illegal drugs out of his room, according to Anderson County Sheriff Greg Taylor.

Taylor said he and sheriff's Sgt. Brian Chason went to Coleman's room at the hotel around 3 p.m. Friday.

“We went to a specific room to do a welfare check on a young lady we heard was there,” Taylor said. “The girl we were looking for was not there, but we could smell marijuana” emitting from the hotel room.

With probable cause, Taylor and Chason entered the room and observed two pill bottles on top of a bag. Both contained Hydrocodone, according to the sheriff. One of the bottles was prescribed to Coleman, the other was not, he added.

“We searched the room and found several more empty bottles and several more bottles with Hydrocodone and Soma in them,” Taylor  said.

The sheriff said authorities also found “$1,800 cash” inside the room, mostly in the form of $100s and $20s, and a loaded semi-automatic pistol. The money and weapon were both seized, he added.

Hydrocodone, a popular painkiller, and Soma, a muscle relaxer, are typically sold on the street for $10 apiece, according to the sheriff.

Coleman was arrested on charges of manufacture/delivery of a controlled substance between 28 and 200 grams and possession of a dangerous drug.

Records showed Coleman was released from the Anderson County Jail around mid-day Saturday after posting bonds totaling $50,000 set by Anderson County Justice of the Peace James Todd.

Taylor said he has no doubts that Coleman had been selling drugs out of the hotel room.

“He's been making money out of that hotel room for the last six months and selling those pills,” the sheriff stated. “That hotel room's cost him in excess of $13,000 (according to a bill obtained by authorities).”

Anderson County sheriff's deputies Donnie Myers and John Wright also assisted in helping investigate the scene.

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Paul Stone may be contacted via e-mail at pstone@palestineherald.com

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