UITS theft leads to drug arrest

A graduate student allegedly stole computers from University Information Technology Systems to pay off his crack-cocaine debt, leading to multiple arrests, according to the IU Police Department.\nThe graduate student, whose name is being withheld as the investigation continues, was first noticed by police after a security camera captured him stealing three high-end computers from a UITS office, where he works, said IUPD Detective Dave Hannum.\nA warranted search of the subject’s apartment proved fruitless. But through interviews, police discovered the location of the computers and more, Hannum said.\n“When interviewed about the theft, he admitted to stealing computers to pay for a drug debt of crack cocaine,” Hannum said.\nThe subject then led Hannum to the location of the computers in Arlington Heights trailer park. The resident of the trailer, Timothy M. Todd, was one Hannum said he knew to be a crack-cocaine dealer, based on his past undercover police work.\nArmed with a search warrant for the Arlington Heights location in question – 1600 N. Willis Drive, Lot 197 – IUPD officers found the computers stolen from UITS along with other electronic equipment that Hannum assumed to be stolen as well.\nWhile there, officers also found probable cause of drug presence, enabling them to gain another search warrant, Hannum said.\n“We saw a cooking operation, where they cook cocaine and make it into crack, several pipes and powder,” Hannum said.\nDuring the second search, officers identified cocaine, Lortab, Oxycontin and marijuana, Hannum said.\nPrescription drugs like Oxycontin are common on campus, Hannum said. Despite a number of cocaine arrests in the past few months, he said crack is not something he usually deals with on campus.\n“It’s not a student thing so much,” Hannum said. “Obviously it is to some degree, because this was student-related, but it’s not that prevalent.”\nTodd was arrested at the time of the search, along with his two roommates, John W. Floyd and \nJulie A. Grubb.\nTodd faces multiples charges, including three Class B felonies for possession with intent to deliver crack cocaine, Lortab and Oxycontin. He also faces three Class D felonies for possession with intent to deliver more than 30 grams of marijuana, maintaining a common nuisance and possession of stolen property, Hannum said.\nThe graduate student who stole the computers is facing charges of theft, Hannum said. Floyd and Grubb are also pending charges, he said.\nHannum said Todd, whom he believes to be a known drug dealer in the area, has escaped arrest in the past because the police department has had too many cases to deal with.\n“I worked a case against him before that never really went anywhere,” Hannum said. “When you have several different cases going on at once, you can’t really look into all of them.”