SWAT raid Indy tire shop used as drug front

INDIANAPOLIS — Two men are under arrest after an Indianapolis SWAT raid on a tire shop uncovered that the business was a drug dealing front, with drugs found hidden inside numerous vehicles.

James Wilkerson is charged with dealing in cocaine, a Level 2 felony; unlawful possession of a firearm by a violent felon, a Level 4 felony; dealing in marijuana, a Level 6 felony; possession of a narcotic, a Level 5 felony and possession of a controlled substance, a Level 6 felony

William Boyd was arrested on preliminary charges of dealing in cocaine while armed and dealing in marijuana. Official charges have not yet been filed against Boyd by the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office.

According to court documents, a SWAT team descended on The Tire King, located at 3839 E. Washington Street, on Feb. 9.

Wilkerson, the owner of the tire shop, was standing inside the business and was quickly taken into custody.

Police said Boyd had walked to a nearby Amoco gas station when police went inside the business and arrested him. Boyd reportedly gave his gun to the gas station cashier when he spotted the police coming into the store, but the cashier turned the weapon over to investigators.

According to the documents, investigators accused Boyd of hiding various narcotics inside vehicles that were in different phases of repair or restoration. Police said most of the vehicles didn’t have license plates and “were definitely inoperable.”

A search of the business uncovered a least 50 empty heat-sealed plastic bags that reportedly smelled like marijuana, police said, along with digital scales often used to weigh drugs before packaging and selling.

In a toolbox belonging to Wilkerson, police reportedly found suspected cocaine, nearly 100 amphetamine pills and oxycodone.

In the truck of one vehicle, police found three jars of marijuana along with marijuana found stored inside a designer bag and a bag of Doritos.

More marijuana was found in other vehicles as well along with a loaded Glock found in one of the vehicles.

Police said five grams of suspected rock cocaine was found during a search of Wilkerson. Police also found hundreds of dollars in cash on both men, suspected to be proceeds from drug deals.

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