By John Estridge
Two Franklin County men were arrested and charged with three felonies regarding meth and theft.
Zachary J. Burkhart, 29, and Trevor L. Ruble, 24, were charged with Dealing in Methamphetamine, as a Level 2 Felony; and Possession of Methamphetamine, as a Level 4 Felony. Burkhart was also charged with Theft, as a Level 6 Felony.
According to an Affidavit for Probable Cause, written by Franklin County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Arin Bowers, this started with the theft of catalytic converters.
Catalytic converters are stolen because “they contain precious metals, like platinum, palladium or rhodium, that are valuable to metal dealers,” according to allstate.com.
Bowers said he received a tip on Monday night, July 26, Zachary Burkhart was in possession of three catalytic converters that were stolen in the 24 hours prior to that night. The tip also said Burkhart may be in the Laurel area. Thus, Bowers was patrolling in that area.
He saw a red Ford F-150 turn onto Dam Road.
“The vehicle had a leaky, altered or deteriorated muffler,” Bowers said in the affidavit.
Thus, Bowers initiated a traffic stop. And the driver was Burkhart. Bowers said Burkhart seemed nervous with shaky hands. The passenger was not wearing a seat belt so Bowers asked the passenger’s identity and found it to be Ruble. Ruble had a writ of body attachment.
According to Tippecanoe.in.gov, a writ of body attachment is “a court order to the Sheriff to arrest a person and hold them in custody. The court will often issue a writ if a party who was ordered to attend a court hearing fails to show up.”
Bowers spotted two catalytic converters in the truck’s middle seat and a third on the passenger floorboard. Also, there was a sawzall-like tool on top of a tool bag. Sawzalls can be used to cut off catalytic converters from vehicles.
When Bowers questioned Burkhart about the catalytic converters, he said he purchased them that day, but he thought they might be stolen. Bowers removed the catalytic converters from the truck.
Another deputy, Ryan Geiser, arrived with a vehicle where the catalytic converter had been stolen. Bowers compared the cut patterns, and they seemed to match. Burkhart was also placed into custody.
Later, Burkhart said Ruble was not involved in the catalytic converters.
Bowers then did a vehicle inventory of the F-150 prior to the tow.
According to the affidavit, Bowers discovered a camouflage bag on the left side of the passenger floorboard with a scale in plain view in a side pocket. The camouflaged bag was easily within reach of both pickup occupants.
“The bag contained a black plastic container which was found to hold multiple plastic baggies,” Bowers wrote in the affidavit.
Three of the baggies were found to hold a white and clear crystalline substance, which was later field tested and was positive for meth. It had a weight of about 20 grams or nearly an ounce. Burkhart denied knowledge of both the camouflaged bag and its contents; however, he identified several items within the bag that he said belonged to him, including a torch lighter.
Ruble’s parents arrived on the scene. They both identified the bag as belonging to Trevor Ruble. However, in subsequent questioning, Ruble denied the bag belonged to him.
Still doing the inventory for the tow, Bowers discovered a black Kyocera cellphone sitting face up on the seat. It lit up multiple times. A message was left and someone offering a certain amount of money for a ‘g.’
Burkhart and Ruble were then taken to the Franklin County Security Center for processing.
If convicted of a Level 2 Felony, the pair could each face 10 to 30 years in prison. A Level 4 conviction could result in a sentence of two to 12 years in prison. A Level 6 conviction is from six months to 2.5 years.
Burkhart has another Level 2 Felony charge in Franklin County for Dealing Methamphetamine, which was filed on February 4. It is pending. He was charged with Rape and Sexual Misconduct with a Minor in 2010. He pleaded guilty to the Sexual Misconduct with a Minor, as a class C felony, and was sentenced to four years in prison with one year suspended to probation. In 2011, he was charged with Sexual Misconduct with a Minor and Public Indecency in Rush County. He pleaded guilty to Public Indecency.
Ruble was found guilty of Possession of Methamphetamine on Nov. 6, 2019, and received 114 days in the FCSC. On April 8 of this year, he pleaded guilty to two counts of Battery by Bodily Waste on a Public Safety Officer and Resisting Arrest, all as Level 6 Felonies, and was sentenced to 514 days in the FCSC with all time suspended to probation. In the same case, he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of Driving while Intoxicated and Disorderly Conduct, and his sentences were suspended. He pleaded guilty to Theft, as a class A misdemeanor, and was sentenced to 120 days in the FCSC on Nov. 22, 2019.
Charges in 2017 of Criminal Trespass and Leaving the Scene of a Property Damage Accident were dismissed.
On Feb. 14, 2020, Ruble pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of Illegal Taking of a Wild Animal and received a sentence of 90 days in the FCSC with all time suspended to probation.
Ruble has misdemeanor charges of Conversion, Possession of Paraphernalia and Leaving the Scene of an Accident pending.
All of these cases were in Franklin County.
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Trevor is my son and yes he has done wrong but we we’re wrong. That bag is not his. We found his safely at home. Trevor was in the process of going to rehab and has said Burkhart has apologized several times for getting him in trouble when it wasn’t even his. Guess time and court, truth will come out!