Deputy Joe Baker was arrested after his boss learned that he was moonlighting as a steroid dealer.
Joe Baker, a deputy officer with the Scott County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) in the State of Indiana, spent Thanksgiving Day in jail after he was arrested for selling anabolic steroids. Scott County Reserve Officer Phillip Thomas was also arrested for steroid possession. It was not immediately clear whether or not Baker sold steroids to Thomas.
SCSO Deputy Baker first came under investigation just a few days ago. Scott County Sheriff Jerry Goodin received information that Baker was selling steroids on Monday, November 25, 2019. Sheriff Goodin immediately turned over the information to the Indiana State Police (ISP).
ISP Superintendent Doug Carter started an investigation into Baker on the very next day. A team of troopers from the ISP Sellersburg Post Drug Enforcement Section conducted the undercover operation.
The investigation resulted in “enough information… to show that it wasn’t just the possession but the actual attempt to at least distribute.” Trenbolone was reportedly the steroid sold by Baker.
Deputy Baker and Reserve Officer Thomas were both arrested and charged within 72 hours after Sheriff Goodin first learned of the potential steroid-dealing in his office.
Scott County Sheriff Goodin wants everyone to know that he is living up to his promise to make “Scott County a Drug Free Zone”.
Scott County Sheriff Goodin was praised for alerting the ISP to conduct an outside and independent investigation of the SCSO deputy.
“[Sheriff Goodin] immediately stepped into action and contacted us,” said ISP Sergeant Carey Huls. “We worked side by side to make sure everything was above board and done properly. And that was one reason Sheriff Goodin contacted our department. He didn’t want anybody thinking they were hiding any information or covering anything up in their department.”
Baker was charged with level 6 felony conspiracy to deal a Schedule III controlled substance (anabolic steroids), official misconduct, unlawful possession of a syringe, and misdemeanor possession of a Schedule III controlled substance.
Thomas was charged with misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance.
Sheriff Goodin released a statement expressing his dedication to eradicating drugs from Scott County even if it means arresting his own deputies.
“Since my first day in office I declared ‘Scott County a Drug Free Zone’. Making it perfectly clear that no matter who you are, you would be a target if you were dealing or involved in drug activity. As your sheriff, I have set a high standard of conduct from my deputies and corrections officers. Failure to live by the standards we set, will NOT be overlooked by me as the Sheriff of Scott County…not yesterday, not today, and not in the future.”