Press Release

May 5, 2010

-Princeton-

Don E. Bishop, age 33, Patoka, pled guilty in Gibson Circuit Court to numerous charges, including to Dealing in a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine) and Manufacture of Methamphetamines, both Class B Felonies.  Judge Jeff Meade accepted a plea agreement reached between Bishop and Gibson County Prosecutor Robert Krieg wherein Bishop received twelve (12) years in the Indiana Department of Corrections.  In addition to pleading guilty to the two B Felonies, Bishop also pled guilty to numerous other drug-related charges, including Possession of Methamphetamines over 3 Grams, a C Felony.   

On July 23, 2009, Bishop was pulled over by Indiana State Police Troopers for a traffic violation.  Upon speaking with Bishop, troopers noticed he had sores all over his face and arms and exhibited behavior consistent with someone being high on meth.  A K-9 dog was walked around the car and indicated that there was a presence of illegal drugs.  Troopers discovered inside a backpack a first aid kit that contained many items used to manufacture meth, including coffee filters, pseudoephedrine tablets, digital scales, lithium batteries, a baggy of marijuana, and a baggy containing 8.8 grams of methamphetamine.

A female passenger in the car with Bishop stated that the backpack belonged to Bishop and that he had it with him when she arrived at his house earlier that day.  Troopers then secured a warrant to search Bishop’s Patoka, IN home, where they discovered various items used to manufacture methamphetamines spread throughout the property.    

Prosecutor Krieg said that Bishop only had one prior misdemeanor conviction, but that he required Bishop to take a sentence greater than the B Felony advisory sentence of ten (10) years because of the large amount of methamphetamines and meth lab evidence found.  Krieg noted this is the second lengthy sentence handed down in a few weeks to Patoka residents caught dealing or cooking meth.  Forty-One (41) year old Van Shanks was sentenced on April 29 by Judge Meade to fifteen (15) years prison for various meth-related convictions. 

PATOKA MAN GETS 12 YEARS FOR COOKING METH (Bishop)