An Ohio man wanted on an active warrant now faces drug charges after swallowing a package of cocaine he had concealed in his rectum.
On March 20, 2025, a Lake County Sheriff’s Department officer stopped a vehicle on SB I-65 in Lake County. During the stop, the officer discovered the driver, Ernest Cargile Jr., had an active warrant in Ohio. He was taken into custody and transported to Lake County Jail.
While being booked, officers noticed an object in Cargile’s rectum. He then ran from the booking area into the sally port, removed the object, and swallowed it. Authorities transported him to a local hospital, where medical staff performed a procedure to retrieve the package for his safety. Officers later confirmed the substance inside tested positive for cocaine.
According to court records, the package contained 92.9 grams of cocaine, an amount classified under Indiana law as possession with intent to deliver.
On March 21, 2025, Cargile was officially charged with:
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Dealing in Cocaine – Possession with Intent to Deliver (F2 Felony)
