By WNDU.com and Felicia Michelle
Published: Apr. 13, 2024 at 3:18 PM EDT|Updated: Apr. 15, 2024 at 7:31 PM EDT
LAPORTE COUNTY, Ind. (WNDU) - Nine people are facing charges after police say they removed them from a LaPorte County property that has been a “nuisance residence” for the past few years.
Since 2021, the LaPorte County Sheriff’s Office says it has responded to “an alarming number of calls for service” at a home in the 2500 block of S. County Road 550 West in Scipio Township. These calls included an alleged sexual battery, narcotic overdoses, thefts, and noise and fire complaints.
Most recently, deputies were called on Wednesday to a fight on the property.
Following Wednesday’s incident, police began investigating the residence and its rightful ownership. That’s when they learned the homeowner passed away in 2021 and 42-year-old Jason Stryjewski had been staying there ever since.
Police say they reached out to relatives of the deceased homeowner, who then told Stryjewski that he was no longer welcome, along with anyone else on the property.
Residents in the area describe it as quiet, peaceful, and a great place to raise a family. At least that was until Stryjewski and other unsavory characters moved in.
Many neighbors would not interview on camera for fear of retaliation from those that previously occupied that home. One woman did speak with WNDU 16 News Now off camera about the experience living there.
“It has been extremely frustrating,” she said. “It has been constant issues and disruption in normal life. Very scary for a lot of the kids that live in the neighborhood letting them be free to be in their own yards and ride their bikes along the streets and what not because you didn’t know or you didn’t know what was happening over there.
“You would hear gunshots from time to time,” she added. “You would hear very loud arguing, you would have huge fires that were not normal bonfires happen in the middle of the night. Cars constantly coming and going, vehicles of all kinds. And a lot of people walking around that you’ve never seen before.”
Detectives visited the property on Thursday to tell Stryjewski and others that they needed to leave. However, police believed they would ignore that order after Stryjewski responded to it vulgarly.
“He was very adamant that he had rightful ownership of the home,” said Capt. Derek Allen with the LaPorte County Sheriff’s Office. “We began to look at it and weren’t completely confident that it was truthful, and so that’s where we increased our investigation into the rightful ownership of the home.”
Later that day, police obtained an arrest warrant for Stryjewski. They returned on Friday to arrest him and eight other people they found on the property.
According to police, three of the nine arrestees were found inside the home, while six others were found to be residing inside passenger and recreational vehicles on the property.
All nine people were taken to the LaPorte County Jail on the following charges:
- Jason Stryjewski (42 years old) – Maintaining a common nuisance and criminal trespass
- Austin Halderman (23 years old) – Visiting a common nuisance
- Jonathon McCullough (33 years old) - Visiting a common nuisance
- David Mrozinski Jr. (39 years old) - Visiting a common nuisance
- Christopher Michaels (32 years old) - Visiting a common nuisance
- Gary Morton II (41 years old) - Visiting a common nuisance
- Amber Stacy (35 years old) - Visiting a common nuisance
- Brandi Dorsey (27 years old) - Visiting a common nuisance
- Dakota Charlson (22 years old) - Visiting a common nuisance
According to the LaPorte County Sheriff’s Office, Stryjewski remains in the LaPorte County Jail on a $755 cash bond. Meanwhile, Dorsey, McCullough, and Halderman remain jailed on $305 cash bonds.
Stacy, Martin, Michaels, and Mrozinski have all reportedly posted bond and been released from the jail. Charlson was given a court date and released.
“This investigation, operation, and arrests put an end to a nuisance property that has been creating an excessive response and workload for deputies,” Capt. Allen said. “In addition, the quality of life for nearby residents of the property will begin to improve and return to normal.”
All the arrestees were told not to return to the property or they will be charged with an additional offense of criminal trespass.
“We had a very pointed and direct conversation with the accused individuals that they are no longer welcome at the residence,” Capt. Allen said. “It’s our hope that by speaking to them very direct and clear that they will not return. Secondly, we’re working with the living relatives, along with a mortgage company, to make sure the residence stays secure. And throughout the weekend since we’ve executed the operations on Friday, we’ve had patrol deputies routinely checking up the home.”
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