A Tuesday morning traffic stop in Jennings County led to the arrests of two people and may have resulted in the largest meth bust in county history.

Lt. Mike Mowery, spokesman for the Jennings County Sheriff’s Department, says that at about 2:30 a.m. on Tuesday, a deputy stopped

a car near the intersection of County Road 300 North at State Road 7 in Center Township after the driver failed to dim his headlights for oncoming traffic.

Mowery says that the traffic stop led to an investigation, which resulted in deputies seizing more than two pounds of methamphetamine. He says that Larry Janes, 65, and Kimberly L. Tungate, 28, both of North Vernon, are charged with dealing and possession of methamphetamine.

Mowery says that the investigation continued, as at approximately 10 a.m., deputies executed a search warrant at Janes’ home on Whitehall Drive in Country Squire Lakes. He alleges that deputies recovered six guns, drug paraphernalia, marijuana and approximately five ounces of methamphetamine. Investigators say that the meth found inside the home appeared to be packaged for sale.

The Sheriff’s Department says that the estimated street value of all of the methamphetamine that was recovered in this case is over $100,000.

Mowery says that both Janes and Tungate are being held without bond on the following preliminary charges:

Janes:
Dealing Methamphetamine (Level 2 Felony);
Possession of Meth with a Firearm (Level 3 Felony);
Possession of a Firearm by a Serious Violent Felon (Level 4 Felony);
Possession of a Syringe (Level 6 Felony);
Possession of Paraphernalia (Class A Misdemeanor);
Possession of Marijuana (Class A Misdemeanor);
Maintaining Common Nuisance (Class B Misdemeanor)

Tungate:
Dealing Methamphetamine (Level 2 Felony);
Possession of Meth with a Firearm (Level 3 Felony);
Possession of a Controlled Substance (Level 6 Felony);
Possession of Paraphernalia (Class A Misdemeanor);
Possession of Marijuana (Class A Misdemeanor);
Maintaining Common Nuisance (Class B Misdemeanor)

Jennings County Sheriff Gary Driver says that he believes this is the largest methamphetamine seizure in the Department’s history. He went on to say that these arrests and seizures have helped fight the County’s drug problem. Sheriff Driver added, “With the community’s help and support, we hope to make our county a safer place.” Driver also praised his deputies, noting that he is proud of his their hard work and persistence in fighting Jennings County’s drug problem. Sheriff Driver also thanked the North Vernon Police Department, Indiana State Police and all of surrounding police agencies that have recognized the drug problem that has crept into southeastern Indiana, and their work to fight it.