Alleged Child Molester Dies of Apparent Suicide

The Marion County Sheriff's Office reports that alleged child molester Cortland Wade Mcgrown, 32 years of age, was discovered unresponsive in his jail cell on the evening of June 20 as the result of an apparent suicide.  McGrown was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.

McGrown, a resident of Indianapolis, was being held on a bond of $50,000 for four counts of child molestation, all felonies.  In addition to his current custody stay, McGrown had been incarcerated in the jail on five other occasions, once in 2010 and four times in 2011.

No formal determination has yet been made as to the cause of death.  The incident is considered a death investigation.  The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department conducts death investigations in Marion County and will make the formal determination as to the nature of the death.

Marion County Sheriff John Layton Elected Sergeant at Arms

of the National Sheriffs’ Association

      Marion County Sheriff John Layton was elected today as Sergeant at Arms of the National Sheriffs’ Association.  The NSA is currently holding its annual convention in Nashville, Tennessee.  Sheriff Layton was elected to the position of Sergeant at Arms, which likely places him in line to become the President of the NSA in 2018.  The NSA consists of more than 3,000 Sheriffs nationwide.

Sheriff Layton won a very competitive race with Hennepin County, Minnesota Sheriff Richard Stanek.  Stanek was elected Sheriff of Hennepin County in 2006 and had formerly served five terms in the Minnesota House of Representatives and as the Minnesota Commissioner of Public Safety.  After the vote count was announced, Sheriff Layton congratulated Sheriff Stanek for conducting a very spirited race.

The practice of the NSA is that the Sergeant at Arms will progress through other Board positions to the eventual Presidency of the Association.  If re-elected in 2014, Sheriff Layton will progress through other Board Positions to become the President of the NSA in June 2018.

Serving as the Sergeant at Arms will enhance Sheriff Layton’s position locally and will make it possible for him to represent Marion County on a national level.  “I am very honored to have this opportunity to help the Board represent not only our Deputies here in Marion County, but the Office of the Sheriff all across the United States,” said Layton.

David Carrico Terminated as Deputy and Charged in Arrestee Incident at APC Sheriff Requests F.B.I. Review for Possible Civil Rights Violation

Marion County Sheriff John Layton announced today that he has terminated a Deputy who has been criminally charged in an incident that occurred in the Arrestee Processing Center on May 20, 2012.  David M. Carrico, 28 years of age, has been preliminarily charged with a D Felony and an A Misdemeanor for assaulting an arrestee.  Carrico had been a member of MCSO since April 2005.

According to the probable cause affidavit, at the time of the incident there were six arrestees and two Deputies in the Receiving Room at the APC.  One of the arrestees was Harry Hooks, Jr., 43 years of age.  In the complaint filed after his release, Hooks alleged that Carrico kicked, punched and slammed him onto the floor causing injuries.

In a surveillance video of the incident, Hooks refused to face in the correct direction and called the Deputies “racists.”  Otherwise, Hooks was not resisting arrest or fighting with Deputies or other arrestees.  Carrico suddenly crossed the Receiving Room and put the handcuffed Hooks in a hand hold, and took him out of the Receiving Room into the outer bay area.  Carrico led Hooks a few feet outside the Receiving Room door.  There, Carrico threw Hooks to the floor, got on top of him, and forced him against the floor surface.  It appeared in the video that at no time did Hooks resist or fight.  Other Deputies quickly responded to assist in getting Hooks off the floor and back into the Receiving Room for processing.

After the incident, Carrico reported a bite wound to his right thumb, which a Deputy described as a “knick” in a report.  Carrico was sent to the IU Health Clinic for evaluation.  In a medical report, the treating physician described the injury as ”broke skin, minimal bleeding.”  Carrico contended that he took down Hooks because he “pulled away from me in a very aggressive and violent manner.”  

The video shows that all the arrestees in the Receiving Room were docile and compliant, no one was stirred to riot-like action, and no combative conditions existed in the room.  The actions of Hooks in the bay area showed him as quiet, compliant and walking handcuffed in the custody of Carrico when the takedown occurred. 

In addition to the termination of Carrico, Sheriff Layton has contacted the F.B.I. and requested a preliminary civil rights investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice to determine whether there were violations of federal law in addition to the state law violations filed by the Marion County Prosecutor.

Sheriff’s Deputies Arrest Five at Suspected Drug Trafficking House

Sheriff John Layton announced today that members of the Marion County Sheriff's Criminal Warrants team arrested Jermaine McKinley, 24 years of age, and four other individuals at a house that was suspected to be a drug trafficking location. 

During the investigation of a warrant on McKinley for robbery, Deputies learned that McKinley was armed and could be located at a North Gale Street address.  After knocking and announcing their presence, the Deputies forced entry and found McKinley. The Deputies confiscated three weapons, small amounts of suspected cocaine and marijuana, and drug paraphernalia such as scales and mirrors with razor blades. The paraphernalia indicated that drug trafficking was taking place in the house.

Four other individuals were in the house with McKinley, three of whom were convicted felons. All five individuals were arrested. Also arrested were Frederick Maxey, 29; William McKinney, 48; Marion Edwards, 46; and Courtney Renfro, 20.  Maxey, Edwards, Renfro and McKinney were charged with visiting a common nuisance. 

At this time the investigators are conducting further interviews to see if additional charges will be brought, such as possession of weapons by convicted felons.