Douglas Walker

The Star Press

MUNCIE — Authorities want to retain ownership of 458 silver bars — believed to be worth more than $220,000 — seized from a northern Delaware County property last November.

A forfeiture lawsuit filed on behalf of Delaware County Prosecutor Jeffrey Arnold also targets “miscellaneous” coins — believed to be worth several thousand dollars — found Nov. 5-7 during a massive search of 140 acres in the 18700 block of North Wheeling Avenue.

According to search warrants, authorities unsuccessfully looked for human remains on the property, just south of the community of Wheeling.

An informant had told Muncie police the former owner of the land, James “Buddy” Reynolds, for years operated a “marijuana distribution empire” at the site, and had fatally shot an associate and buried his body there.

In forfeiture actions, property alleged to be tied to criminal activities can be seized to pay for law enforcement expenses.

The forfeiture suit — filed on behalf of Arnold in Delaware Circuit Court 1 by Muncie attorney Daniel Gibson — alleges Reynolds, who died in 2012, engaged in criminal activities including “the sale of large quantities of marijuana and money laundering.”

Search turned up $220K in silver bars

The suit describes a criminal enterprise that saw deliveries of massive amounts of marijuana to the Wheeling Avenue property by a Mexican drug cartel, with Reynolds “regularly (paying) cash for precious metals such as gold and silver” in a bid to hide his profits.

The forfeiture suit alleges Reynolds eventually bought a 10,000-acre property “on a mountainside in Panama,” and paid associates to travel to that country with “large amounts of cash” he then kept in safes there.

It contends the silver and coins seized from the Wheeling Avenue property — which is now owned by Reynolds’ nephew — were derived from his uncle’s illegal activities, and are “subject to forfeiture.”

Technically, the forfeiture lawsuit is against the property being targeted — the suit’s listed defendants are “458 silver bars and miscellaneous coins.”

However, a copy of the action was forwarded to local attorney Mark McKinney, who apparently represents the Wheeling Avenue property’s current owner.

A notice from Delaware County Clerk Michael King informed McKinney that if a response was not received within 20 days, “a judgment will be entered ... for what the plaintiff has demanded.”

The total weight of the confiscated silver — 120 bars weighing 100 ounces, and 338 smaller bars, each weighing 10 ounces — exceeded 950 pounds.

Eric Hoffman, Arnold’s chief trial deputy, said Wednesday that a criminal case stemming from the November search has been filed in Muncie City Court.

Chasity Mills, 40, listed as living in the 18500 block of North Wheeling, is charged with possession of marijuana, a misdemeanor.

McKinney has filed an appearance in that case as defense attorney.

Contact news reporter Douglas Walker at (765) 213-5851. You can also follow him on Twitter: @DouglasWalkerSP.

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