Five persons were charged Wednesday in connection with a heroin distribution operation, the Porter County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office said.

Charged with dealing in a Schedule I controlled substance—a Class B felony punishable by a term of six to 20 years—were Jonas Miller, 26, of 514 Willow Drive in Westville; Bruce C. Thompson, 27, of 233 Kimrich Circle in Valparaiso; and Nicholas Poore, 29, of 379 Wilshire Court, Valparaiso.

Charged with possession of a Schedule I controlled substance—a Class D felony punishable by a term of six months to three years—and a misdemeanor count of possession of paraphernalia was Kelsey Shireman, 21, of 1702 Cedar St. In Valparaiso.

And charged with conspiracy to possess a Schedule I controlled substance—also a Class D felony—was Sonja C. Melendez, 39, of 503 Calumet Ave. in Valparaiso.

According to a statement released after deadline on Friday, the Porter County Drug Task Force opened an investigation after receiving a tip that Miller was making regular trips to Chicago to purchase heroin, then bringing it to Valparaiso. The purchases were financed by the other defendants, who were the intended recipients, the statement said.

Miller was subsequently apprehended in Valparaiso by the Drug Task Force after purchasing several bags of heroin in Chicago, while the others were taken into custody during controlled deliveries of a substitute substance represented to be heroin, the statement said.

Posted 10/5/2009