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Officers investigating an alleged armed robbery several weeks ago ending up arresting the suspect on drug dealing and possession charges.
Skylar Ryan Risner, 25, of 1608 Tippecanoe Drive, Apt. D, Warsaw, was booked into the Kosciusko County Jail at 11:33 p.m. Aug. 4 for resisting law enforcement, dealing marijuana – 30 grams to 10 pounds, dealing a counterfeit substance and maintaining a common nuisance. His preliminary bond was set at $5,250.
Court documents filed Tuesday list the charges against him as dealing in a look-alike substance, a level 5 felony; dealing in marijuana in an amount in excess of 30 grams, a level 6 felony; resisting law enforcement, a Class A misdemeanor; possession of marijuana, a Class B misdemeanor; and possession of paraphernalia, a Class C misdemeanor, with an enhancement to make it a Class A misdemeanor.
Risner previously was convicted of possession of paraphernalia on May 15.
On Aug. 4, Warsaw Police Department officers responded to a report of an armed robbery involving Risner. Police said the incident originated in Atwood but was reported to have taken place at Wilby’s gas station in Warsaw.
The victim was found at Village Pantry, another Warsaw gas station. She said that Risner forced her to remove money from an ATM at Wilby’s. She said he was armed with a handgun and that he had lifted his shirt to show her the butt of the gun in his pants but he did not remove or point it.
Officers found Risner at his Warsaw apartment, and he denied being involved in a robbery. While officers were speaking with him outside of his apartment, they detected a strong odor of marijuana. Risner attempted to flee into his residence and barricade himself. Officers entered the apartment took Risner into custody.
Risner admitted to WPD officer Brad Kellar that he had been at an apartment in Atwood and wanted paid back the money he let another woman borrow from him a few weeks prior. Risner said the woman’s roommate, the alleged armed robbery victim, offered to meet him at Wilby’s and get money out of the ATM to keep the peace. He agreed to that and was driven to the gas station by a friend. Risner denied there had been anything negative between him and the alleged victim.
On Aug. 5, Kellar got a warrant to search Risner’s apartment. Police found 147 grams of marijuana in different locations. They also found THC edibles weighing 180.7 grams, and hash oil weighing 83.6 grams.
Officers found a plastic bag containing five other plastic bags of a crystal substance that appeared to be methamphetamine. The crystal substance was packaged in one-eighth-ounce increments, a common way to distribute crystal methamphetamine, according to court documents. However, the crystal substance did not test positive for methamphetamine.
In the same drawer as the look-alike substance, Kellar found two sets of digital scales. One set had pieces of crystal that did not test for methamphetamine.
Officers also found numerous smoking devices with residue and a significant number of silicone containers and tools used for housing and handling hash oil. Seven of the silicone circular containers were in a U.S. Postal Service manila packing envelope. The enveloped was addressed to Risner’s longtime girlfriend, whose name also was on the apartment lease.
Risner’s initial hearing is set for 8:15 a.m. Oct. 4.
