Man found in attic with bag of meth and gun

Bloomington Police Department used its tactical response team early last Friday morning to find a violent felon hiding in an attic.

BPD Sgt. Joe Crider said the Critical Incident Response Team served an arrest warrant for Jeremy Dalton, a 36-year-old man, on a previous charge of possession of a firearm as a serious violent offender.

A bag containing more than three grams of methamphetaminewas found on Dalton’s person, as well as a loaded .45-caliber semi-automatic handgun under a bed, with additional boxes of ammunition.

BPD detectives used a confidential informant earlier in the week to purchase a handgun from Dalton.

After evacuating a residence in the 3000 block of West Vernal Pike, the CIRT was able to determine that Dalton had secluded himself in the attic.

BPD’s response team is a multi-jurisdictional task force trained to handle emergencies such as hostage or barricaded suspect situations, according to the City of Bloomington’s website.

Dalton later admitted to being in possession of the drugs and handgun.

A prior 2010 conviction of dealing methamphetamine enhanced Dalton’s preliminary charges, Crider said.

Dalton faces preliminary charges of possession of methamphetamine with intent to sell, a class A felony, and two counts of possession of a firearm as a serious violent offender, a class B felony, with bond set at $50,000 surety and $1,000 cash.

—Dennis Barbosa