POSEY COUNTY, Ind (WEHT) – Two people arrested in Posey County Drug Task Force’s Operation Lockdown have now been sentenced to prison.
Halley Marie Penelope Bates, 20, of Mt. Vernon, and Miranda Renee Richards, 35, of Evansville, appeared in the Posey Circuit Court on September 22. Bates was sentenced to ten years in prison after pleading guilty to multiple felony charges, including dealing methamphetamine, dealing in a controlled substance, dealing in marijuana and maintaining a common nuisance. Richards was sentenced to twelve years in prison after pleading guilty to dealing in marijuana and maintaining a common nuisance.
Bates and Richards were arrested as part of an undercover drug investigation that was executed in Posey County on May 14. Operation Lockdown was a multi-agency operation including law enforcement officials from the Posey County Prosecutor’s Office, Posey County Sheriff’s Office, Mt. Vernon Police Department, Indiana State Police, Evansville Police Department, Evansville Vanderburgh County Joint Drug Task Force, Federal Bureau of Investigation – Safe Streets Task Force, Vincennes Police Department, New Harmony Police Department and Indiana Conservation Officer.
