The arrest of a LaPorte County deputy coroner on drug-related charges came after an investigation that lasted nearly 12 weeks.
During the investigation, police say 47-year-old Dawn Maxson sold 106 prescription hydromorphone pills for more than $800 in seven separate sales, according to our reporting partners ABC 57.
- RELATED: LaPorte County Deputy Coroner charged with dealing narcotics, Nov. 1, 2015
Hydromorphone is a narcotic painkiller that is prescribed in very small doses, normally less than 4 milligrams.
LaPorte County Sheriff John Boyd told ABC 57 that the county is experiencing an “epidemic” of heroin and narcotics use, which often go together.
Maxson was arrested Thursday afternoon, Oct. 29, and charged with dealing in a schedule I, II or III controlled substance, a level 4 felony that carries a sentence of up to 12 years. Additional charges may still be filed.
She was suspended from her job and her credentials were stripped after the arrest, LaPorte County Coroner John Sullivan told WNDU. Maxson will not be paid until the case is complete.
Maxson is being held on $20,000 bond at LaPorte County Jail. A court hearing is set for Wednesday morning, Nov. 4.
