The Greenwood Community High School varsity golf coach has been arrested on multiple felony drug dealing charges.
Benjamin L. Beatty, 37, of Columbus, was arrested after a traffic stop by Indiana State Police on Tuesday. During the investigation, police found methamphetamine, heroin and drug paraphernalia, according to a news release from the state police.
Beatty has been the varsity golf coach at Greenwood, but the school district has started the process to fire him, the school district said in a written statement.
He had been a middle school golf coach and is in his first season as the boys varsity golf coach. He has no other jobs at the school district. He has had no contact with students since superintendent Kent DeKoninck learned of the arrest, the school said.
“Based upon information received to this point, all conduct by Mr. Beatty leading to the charges are not connected with any Greenwood Community Schools students,” the statement said.
The traffic stops and arrests in Columbus this week were part of an ongoing narcotics investigation by the All Crimes Policing Team along with the Bartholomew County Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team, police said. It is unclear how long, or if, Beatty had been under investigation before Tuesday.
Beatty was arrested on felony charges of dealing methamphetamine, dealing heroin, possession of methamphetamine, possession of heroin, possession of a syringe, counterfeiting, and misdemeanor charges of resisting law enforcement and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Indiana State Police stopped a vehicle on State Road 46 in Columbus on Tuesday. An Indiana State Police K-9 alerted to the odor of illegal drugs coming from the vehicle, troopers said.
During a search of the vehicle, troopers located suspected heroin, a syringe, and drug paraphernalia. The driver of the vehicle, Jared K. Elsner, 33, Seymour, was arrested on charges of felony possession of heroin, felony possession of syringe and misdemeanor possession of paraphernalia.
Troopers then stopped a second vehicle on State Road 46 at Carr Hill Road in Columbus. Beatty, the driver, resisted the trooper and was detained at the scene, state police said.
During a search of Beatty’s vehicle, troopers found about one ounce of suspected methamphetamine, heroin and drug paraphernalia. Beatty was arrested and taken to the Bartholomew County Jail.
Police got search warrants for Beatty’s home at 2559 Lafayette Avenue, Columbus, and a room at the Motel 6 in Columbus that Beatty had rented. Investigators found more methamphetamine, heroin, marijuana, syringes, drug paraphernalia and packaging material, the news release said.
Officers also located counterfeit U.S. currency and other evidence of counterfeiting.
Parents of students in the Greenwood school district were notified about the situation via email on Thursday morning. High school athletic director Rob Irwin said that current girls golf coach Brittany Runge will finish coaching the boys through the spring season.
Beatty was held on $630,000 bond in the Bartholomew County Jail, jail officials said.
Sports editor Ryan O’Leary contributed to this report.
