Three IMPD police officers arrested for dealing drugs

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - A federal grand jury has indicted four Indianapolis men for drug trafficking. Three of them are IMPD police officers.

The federal investigation began back in March. It took several months of surveillance and phone tapes to build the case.

However, FBI agents believe the officers may have been dealing drugs for at least a year.

The FBI said IMPD narcotics detective 34-year-old Robert Long was the ring leader.

Court documents say Long, while in uniform, picked up a Fed-Ex package containing about a dozen pounds of pot.

Investigators said fellow narcotics detective 37-year-old Jason Edwards hid the drugs in his garage.

Investigators say less than a month later, Long, again on-duty, picked up a UPS package containing 50 pounds of pot.

Long checked 20 pounds into evidence, but investigators say he kept the rest.

A few weeks later, investigators say Long and patrol officer 33-year-old James Davis broke into an apartment using a forged warrant.

Long, Edwards and Davis thought there were drugs in the apartment, but they didn't find any.

Then earlier this month, the three broke into an abandoned home thinking there were hundred of pounds of pot and tens of thousands of dollars.

Agents say the three found five pounds of pot and more than $18,000 before wiping down fingerprints and leaving the home.

Investigators say three officers then recruited 31-year-old Kabec Higgins to distribute the drug and sell drugs from his local business, Ear Candy Muzik.

"What makes this case significant is that police officers used their power and authority to stop vehicles, to enter residences to seize marijuana and cash not for a law enforcement purpose, not to enforce the law but to make money for themselves," said Timothy Morrison of U.S. Attorney in Southern District.

Detective Jason Edwards was already suspended from IMPD for a check forgery arrest back in March.

Now all four men are facing felony conspiracy and trafficking charges. And the three officers are facing charges for possessing firearms during the drug offense.