Special prosecutor requested in narcotics case against former IMPD officer

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Formal charges have been filed against a former Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officer and two others related to dealing cocaine and hydrocodone.

Former IMPD Det. Nikolas Layton, 35, resigned from IMPD following his arrest in the case. He is the son of current Marion County Sheriff John Layton. The special prosecutor has been requested due to John Layton’s professional and personal relationship with Marion County Prosecutor Terry Curry.

Also charged in the case are 33-year-old Christopher Reed and 41-year-old Veronica Purdy.

According to court documents, IMPD’s Special Investigations Unit received information that Layton and Reed were dealing drugs on the south side of Indianapolis, specifically at the Thompson House Bar at 711 East Thompson Street.

On Nov. 18, detectives began surveillance at the bar. Layton was seen there on multiple occasions over the next month. In mid-December, a confidential informant made contact with Reed and Layton at the bar, engaging in “casual conversation.”

According to court documents, the confidential informant met up with Layton at the bar. While there, Layton allegedly refererred to himself, Reed and Purdy when he said “We don’t go down; we’re eleven years running all three of us. We only deal with people; well I should say Chris only deals with people he knows. We’re talking about an eleven-year relationship.” Layton then invited the informant to snort cocaine in in his vehicle; the informant was told not to by a detective and said only Layton and Reed partook.

That same night, Layton allegedly said a trip was made to pick up cocaine every other day.

According to the court documents, Layton told the confidential informant that “this cocaine is not as good as he usually gets because his supplier went back to ‘Cali.’ He stated that the cocaine he had now came from Tennessee.

Layton went on to say that they got cocaine from a Mexican Cartel guy.

Court documents detailed six times where member of the group sold drugs to the confidential informant between late December 2015 and early January 2016.

Earlier this week, detectives arrested Purdy and Layton outside a southside business.

When questioned by authorities, “Layton acknowledged that he used cocaine approximately five weeks ago,” the court documents state.

During an interview with investigators, Layton allegedly said “I’m small potatoes. I’m just a guy that makes bad decisions” and said that Reed had connections to a cartel member in California.

When a detective questioned Layton’s alleged behavior, asking if that’s how an officer should behave, Layton replied: “No, a police officer shouldn’t be in my seat.”

Layton went on to say, the records state, that he was currently in drug treatment, attending classes once a week.

During the interview with investigators, Layton “then stated that he would like to resign from the police department, because he knows the ‘sh–storm’ is coming.”

Combined, the trio face 17 felony charges.

Layton’s attorney, Jennifer Lukemeyer, did not return a phone message left late Friday afternoon. On Thursday afternoon, she declined to comment when asked about the charges against Layton.

I-Team 8 reported on Thursday that prosecutors do not think that ongoing criminal cases in which Layton was a witness will be affected.

Layton faces the following charges:

• Dealing cocaine (level five felony)
• Possession of cocaine (level six felony)
• Conspiracy to deal cocaine (level four felony)
• Conspiracy to deal narcotics (level four felony)

Reed faces the following charges:

• Conspiracy to deal cocaine (level four felony)
• Dealing cocaine (level five felony)
• Possession of cocaine (level six felony)
• Dealing cocaine (level four felony)
• Possession of cocaine (level six felony)
• Dealing cocaine (level four felony)
• Possession of cocaine (level six felony)

Purdy faces the following charges:

• Possession of cocaine (level four felony)
• Possession of cocaine (level six felony)
• Conspiracy to deal cocaine (level four felony)
• Dealing narcotics (level four felony)
• Possession of narcotics (level six felony)
• Conspiracy to deal narcotics (level four felony)