[Upper Penn]

From NWI TIMES



Cops: 'Major player' in heroin trade arrested in Michigan City

23-year-old accused of conducting up to 70 deals a day for a year

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BY STAN MADDUX - Times Correspondent | Posted: Tuesday, March 2, 2010 4:50 pm | (2) Comments

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MICHIGAN CITY | A man described by police as a "major player" in the sale of heroin in Michigan City could face as much as a 200-year prison sentence.

Police said Chad Skwiat, 23, was cutting into Gary's heroin business by serving customers who normally would drive there for their drugs.

Skwiat likely handled more than 50 percent of the heroin sold locally, said Michigan City police narcotics division Cmdr. Sgt. Dave Legros.

"If he wasn't the top, he was right up with the other ones," Legros said.

Skwiat was taken into custody Monday afternoon while leaving his residence at Terrace Acres, a mobile home community along U.S. 20 on the city's far west side.

Twenty-three grams of heroin worth more than $4,000 were confiscated from his home along with 8 grams of cocaine and more than $1,000 in cash, Legros said.

Two handguns and a large amount of drug paraphernalia also were taken out of the home, police said.

Skwiat, also known as "Fat Chad," is charged in LaPorte Superior Court with four Class A felony drug-related counts. Each carries a sentencing range of 20 to 50 years.

Skwiat is accused of conducting 50 to 70 drug deals a day for a year at various locations with customers also from outside Michigan City in places like Trail Creek and LaPorte.

Skwiat was a user before dealing and in August was arrested on a possession of heroin charge.

He had quit using the drug in recent months, Legros said.

"He hasn't been using any of the product. He's been making all of the money," Legros said.

The LaPorte County prosecutor's office is working with the assistant U.S. attorney's office in determining whether to transfer the charges to federal court.

[Tim]

"Drug town" - *rolls eyes*

[Markus]

We will see how many associates and contacts he coughs up in the coming days. My guess is that there are a lot of people behind the scenes that are running drugs for him throughout M.C. Herion is a huge problem in this town and it is only getting worse.

[Burning_Blood]

I'de hardly say that MC is a "drug town" anymore than most other midsized cities in the USA. Just because the Newsdispatch published an article about some idiot who finally got caught only implies that the situation here is getting better and not that we live in a drug town. The more people like this that we get off the streets the better off we will be. When dealers are caught and get locked up you'll see a decrease in other types of crimes as well...such as burglaries, theft, robbery, car-jacking, and other types of crimes that the "users" commit so that they can support their habits and get the drugs. The MCPD and the DEA have been doing a good job cleaning up our streets so it will be a safer place for us to live and raise kids in.
Drugs are a problem just about anywhere you go. Down South in places like Kentucky and Tennessee they have such a problem with methamphetamines that they actually have "meth mobiles". They're part of their police dept. but look sort of like a modified ambulance or something except they go around and take apart mobile meth labs and things like that. Now once we see something like that around here then we know the problem is getting worse. Hopefully we can keep things under control before something like that happens!

[Upper Penn]

By drug town i mean that is what people call terrace acres.
There is a meth moblie in laporte county. it belongs to the sheriff and lends its services as these problems arise. they just uncovered a meth lab in michigan city within the last month or so. it is getting worse. i would bet that this big drug raid push has mostly to do with securing votes for the up coming election.

[JHeath]

... i would bet that this big drug raid push has mostly to do with securing votes for the up coming election.

The same thing happened last election as well.

[Ang]

The problem is that as soon as somebody is arrested, there is someone else waiting in the wings to take their place.

[Tim]

Anyone catch the reader comments attached to this story in the ND? His mother is not only sticking up for him but actually advocating he be involved in gang rape when he gets to prison.

Sad.

[JHeath]

Anyone catch the reader comments attached to this story in the ND? His mother is not only sticking up for him but actually advocating he be involved in gang rape when he gets to prison.

Sad.

Tried to read through the first few. I couldn't stand trying to decipher the bad grammar after the first 10 or so posts.

[Burning_Blood]

ya, now I know what you mean when refering to Terrace Acres. Everyone knows about that place and what frequently goes on there. Also, I wasn't aware of our local meth mobile...that's just a bad sign in it's own respect. I didn't think that meth was beginning to be such a problem in this area. I would hope that the recent spike in drug arrests didn't have to do with upcoming elections, but you're probably right. I guess if they were running for president we would have to find someone else to go to war with to boost support. It's always been that way. I also agree that when one gets busted there's planty more to take their place.

[Tim]

Tried to read through the first few. I couldn't stand trying to decipher the bad grammar after the first 10 or so posts.

Ha! Wait until you get down to where this pig's mom starts chiming in - the apple does not waddle far from the tree!

[Dave]

Ha! Wait until you get down to where this pig's mom starts chiming in - the apple does not waddle far from the tree!

You think that's really his mom? I wouldn't believe the identity claimed by anyone on there unless they independently verified it for me.

[Tim]

Dave - you're just no fun anymore! Okay - so what if they verified their identity, only not independently - would that work for you?