Gary reserve officer arrested during drug raid

GARY | A Gary police reserve officer was arrested during a narcotics raid at his home Wednesday, police said.

James Johnson, 46, was arrested when police raided his home about 6 a.m. in the 800 block of Burr Street.

Three other Gary residents also were taken into custody inside Johnson's home.

Mariah McClellan, 34, and Latasha Hutch, 20, were arrested and face charges of visiting a common nuisance, police said.

Johnson faces charges of maintaining a common nuisance, police said.

Johnson's brother, William Johnson, 40, also was taken into custody and faces charges of dealing cocaine.

Detectives found drug paraphernalia and about 9 grams of cocaine during the raid, police said.

Johnson's arrest stems from a narcotics investigation initiated by a specialized unit within Gary Police Department, Chief Wade Ingram said.

Investigators were aware going into the raid that Johnson was a reserve officer, he said.

"We took it upon ourselves to execute a search warrant," he said. "The result of that is that he was arrested."

Reserve officers are licensed and have policing powers in Gary but are not licensed throughout Indiana, Ingram said.

The Gary Police Department has about 70 reserve officers working for them, and Johnson was immediately removed from the schedule when he was taken into custody, Ingram said.

Reserve officers work 32 hours a month and assist full-time officers with paperwork and other police-related duties. They are not paid but work as volunteers.

Johnson was hired in 2003, and Ingram said he is asking Johnson to turn in his police equipment immediately.