An investigation into stolen vehicles, a trailer and tools from a FC business lead officers to methamphetamine and heroin and many felony charges against two males

By John Estridge

Due to quick and efficient work by three area police agencies, two 25-year-old males were arrested and charged with various felonies after they allegedly stole vehicles from Brackney Inc. off Indiana 1 near South Gate.

The initial investigation into stolen vehicles, a stolen trailer and stolen tools led police to find roughly an ounce of methamphetamine and a smaller amount of heroin.

Nathine L. Dyer, 25, Big Cedar Road and Brian E. Lemmel, 25, Hamilton, Ohio, were charged with numerous felonies as a result of the investigation.

According to an Affidavit for Probable Cause filed by the lead investigating officer, Franklin County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Jason Robinson, Robinson was called to the Brackney business on Monday morning, March 29, on the report of four vehicles and a utility trailer being stolen from the business. It is believed they were stolen Sunday evening.

Robinson looked at surveillance footage from cameras located at the business. It showed people arriving on the scene in what appeared to be a dark blue four-door Infinity. An Indiana State Police crime scene investigation unit was called to the scene.

Over the course of the next couple of days, the vehicles were found at various locations in the county, including the parking lot at Brookville Aquatic Center. It is believed the vehicles were stolen for their catalytic converters, which can be resold for relatively large sums of money.

According to militosautorepair.com, “the main reason that catalytic converters are stolen is because they’re valuable to scrap metal dealers. They contain precious metals, including rhodium, platinum, and palladium. … All cars made after 1974 are required to have catalytic converters. Some are more appealing to thieves than others.”

On Tuesday, March 30, an employee of Brackney’s contacted the sheriff’s department and said he saw the stolen trailer at a location on Sleepy Hollow Road, which is near Big Cedar Road. Deputies went to the scene and confirmed it was the stolen trailer. The witness said a Chevy Avalanche dropped off the trailer. The Avalanche was accompanied by a Chevy HHR. One male got out of the Avalanche and one male got out of the HHR, unhooked the trailer and left it in a nearby field.

Responding deputies contacted Robinson, and he came to meet them at the Dyer residence on Big Cedar Road. Parked at the residence were the Chevy Avalanche, a Chevy HHR and a dark blue Infinity. Robinson said he recognized the Infinity from the video footage at Brackney’s.

By the time Robinson arrived at that scene, Franklin County Sheriff’s Department Major Gregory Mehlbauer spoke with Nathine Dyer’s father, Tony Dyer. Tony told Mehlbauer his son, Nathine and Lemmel earlier brought the trailer to Tony’s property. Tony suspected it had been stolen, and he ordered Nathine and Lemmel to take the trailer off his property. Also, at the Big Cedar Road property was Evelyn Lemmel. She is Tony Dyer’s sister-in-law and Brian Lemmel’s mother. She also reported the two males had arrived at the residence earlier with the stolen trailer.

At that point, Robinson placed Nathine Dyer and Brian Lemmel under arrest. The two males were also at the Big Cedar Road residence while the officers and the males’ relatives were there. At that point, the preliminary charges against the two males were Theft.

They were transported to the Franklin County Security Center. Both were interviewed by Robinson and other deputies. Prior to transporting them, the two males were patted down. There was $2,139 in cash, in various denominations, in Dyer’s pocket.

Dyer admitted to driving the Avlanche with the trailer attached. He said Lemmel was his passenger. Dyer said he did not know the trailer was stolen, but Lemmel told Dyer “they had to get rid of it.” So, Dyer said he helped Lemmel and unhooked the trailer at the Sleepy Hollow location.

FCSD Deputy Arin Bowers spoke with Lemmel, and Lemmel admitted to stealing all four vehicles and the trailer from Brackney’s. He stated tools taken from Brackney’s were located in the Infinity and a room he lived in at the Mound Haven Motel.

Robinson then applied for a search warrant for Lemmel’s room at the Mound Haven Motel, the Chevy Avalanche and the Infiniti. The search warrants were signed by Franklin Circuit Court 2 Judge Clay Kellerman.

Robinson, with the help of other deputies, executed the search warrants.

In the Avalanche, deputies found a hard plastic container under the driver’s seat. Inside the container were several syringes and two separate baggies, which contained what was determined to be illegal drugs. Robinson said 28.5 grams of methamphetamine were in one baggie while 2.85 grams of heroin were in the other bag. Both substances were sent to the Indiana State Police Laboratory for confirmatory analysis.

On Wednesday, Robinson talked with Dyer again. He admitted the methamphetamine recovered from the Avalanche was his methamphetamine. However, Dyer said he was not dealing methamphetamine but bought the large quantity for personal use. He bought the large amount because he got a better price by purchasing a larger quantity.

Lemmel is charged with four counts of Auto Theft and two counts of Theft. All six charges are Level 6 Felonies.

Dyer is charged with Dealing in Methamphetamine, a Level 2 Felony; Possession of Methamphetamine, a Level 3 Felony; Possession of Heroin, Unlawful Possession of a Syringe and Theft. The last three charges are all Level 6 Felonies.

“This was an incredible and focused effort by the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department — both in recovering stolen property for a local business and to get a large amount of dangerous drugs off the street — all within a very short time,” Franklin County Prosecutor Chris Huerkamp said.

In a press statement jointly released by Huerkamp and Franklin County Sheriff Peter Cates, Huerkamp said the investigation is ongoing and additional charges are possible.

If convicted of a Level 2 Felony, Dyer could receive 10 to 30 years in prison. A Level 3 Felony conviction has a sentencing range between three and 16 years in prison. Level 6 Felony convictions carry a sentencing range of between six months and two and a half years in the Franklin County Security Center.

According to mycase.in.gov, Dyer has a pending case in Rush County involving three Level 6 Felony charges. They are: Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Cocaine and Unlawful Possession of a Syringe. Charges were leveled against him on September 8, 2020.

He is set to go on trial for those charges on May 18.

On December 13, 2019, he was charged in Franklin Circuit Court 2, with Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of a Controlled Substance and Unlawful Possession of a Syringe. All three are Level 6 Felonies. On June 30, 2020, Dyer pleaded guilty to all three charges, and he received 270 days in the Franklin County Security Center on each charge and those sentences ran concurrently.

On March 21, 2019, Dyer was charged in Franklin Circuit Court 2 with Unlawful Possession of a Syringe, as a Level 6 Felony; and Visiting a Common Nuisance, as a class B misdemeanor. He pleaded guilty to the two charges on June 11, 2019, and was sentenced to 545 days in the FCSC with 395 days suspended. He also pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor and was sentenced to 180 days with 90 days suspended to run concurrent to the sentence imposed with the felony.

Lemmel has an open case in Wayne County. On March 19, he was charged with Operating a Vehicle while Never Being Licensed, as a class C misdemeanor.