BY CHARLEE BEASOR
PLAINFIELD — Three Indianapolis residents were arrested Wednesday on charges of dealing and possession of cocaine.
According to the Hendricks County Prosecutor’s office, detectives with the United Drug Task Force and Indiana State Police completed a controlled buy of a kilo of cocaine, worth about $30,000, Wednesday morning at the Kohl’s department store in Plainfield.
Hector Villanueva Simental, 40, was charged with dealing cocaine more than three grams, a class A felony, and possession of cocaine more than three grams, a class C felony.
Two other suspects — Rodolfo Avalos Nunez, 24, and Sara S. Perez, 23 — were also arrested Wednesday, but had been monitored through another controlled buy of cocaine on Oct. 30 at the Kohl’s store.
According to a probable cause affidavit, during the Oct. 30 transaction, Nunez and Perez were met by a confidential informant. Nunez handed the informant 28.4 grams of cocaine while Perez drove the vehicle that Nunez was riding in.
Nunez and Perez have both been charged with two counts of dealing cocaine more than three grams, class A felonies; and two counts of possession of cocaine more than three grams, class C felonies.
During the Nov. 11 transaction, a confidential informant was used.
The affidavit states that Nunez and Simental arrived in the same vehicle while Perez arrived alone in a different vehicle that is owned by Nunez, parked next to the other two suspects, and monitored the deal. Nunez got into the vehicle with the informant and produced the suspected cocaine. Once the cocaine and the United Drug Task Force buy money had been exchanged, uniformed officers moved in and arrested all three suspects.
Authorities say the suspected cocaine weighed about 1004 grams, or just over one kilo.
Initial hearings for all three were held Friday. Nunez and Perez are being tried in Superior Court II by Judge David Coleman and Simental is being tried in Superior Court III by Judge Karen Love.
Bonds have been set at $100,000 for all three and they are being held at the Hendricks County Jail in Danville.
Hendricks County Prosecutor Chief Deputy Jim Bryan said Nunez and Perez will have their pre-trial conference hearing Jan. 6, with their jury trial commencing on Jan. 20. Simental’s pre-trial conference will be Jan. 11 and his jury trial is scheduled for Jan. 19.
Bryan said this is one of the biggest drug busts the task force has had.
“(The weight) puts it in a different level,” he said. “This is one of the largest single purchases the task force has ever been involved in.”
charlee.beasor@flyergroup.com
