VERMILLION COUNTY, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — A man officials said was a “key player in the methamphetamine trade in Vermillion County” was sentenced to more than 27 years in prison.
According to court documents, the Vermillion County Sheriff’s Office began an investigation into James A. Collins in June of 2024, after a man he was associated with passed away due to an overdose.
The victim visited Collins’ home to smoke methamphetamine with Collins and his girlfriend, Lisa Harris. While visiting Collins and Harris, the man smoked methamphetamine with them in a pop-up camper in their driveway.
Court documents also said the man drank water from a “krong” while with Collins. Officials said a “krong” is a “water bong used to ingest methamphetamine.”
According to court documents, another witness who was with the trio said, the man visiting Collins began overdosing “soon after” drinking from the krong.
After leaving the home of Collins, the man began overdosing and later passed away in a local hospital. A toxicology report found that his blood contained amphetamine, methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cotinine. His cause of death was listed as methamphetamine toxicity.
A search of Collins’ home and pop-up camper resulted in the sheriff’s office finding over 150 grams of methamphetamine, multiple bags of marijuana, along with an assortment of other smoking paraphernalia and THC products.
Collins was taken into custody and, after a plea agreement, was found guilty of dealing in methamphetamine and unlawful possession of a syringe.
He has been sentenced to 27.5 years in the Indiana Department of Corrections. Collins’ earliest possible release date is set for February 2045.
Lisa Harris was also taken into custody and is awaiting trial for drug-related charges out of Vermillion County. She has a change-of-plea hearing scheduled for December 10.
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