A Merrillville man who admitted to selling fentanyl and crack cocaine, including to people he knew had previously overdosed, has been sentenced to 76 years in prison following a Lake County conviction tied to a Hobart Police Department narcotics investigation.
According to Lake County Prosecutor Bernard Carter, Benjamin Price was sentenced in Lake Superior Court to a total of 76 years in the Indiana Department of Correction.
“The sentence reflects the seriousness of the crimes committed and the dedication of law enforcement and prosecution teams who worked tirelessly to secure justice in the case,” Prosecutor Carter said in a release issued Wednesday.
Carter commended Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Milana Peterson and her prosecution team for their handling of the case.
“Deputy Prosecutor Milana Peterson and her team demonstrated outstanding dedication in handling this case from beginning to end,” Carter stated. “Their hard work, preparation, and commitment to the victims and the community helped ensure accountability was achieved.”
The prosecutor also praised the Hobart Police Department for its investigative work that led to Price’s arrest and conviction.
Court documents show the investigation began in December 2024 when Hobart Police Detectives utilized informants who reported being able to purchase heroin and fentanyl from Price. Detectives arranged a controlled drug buy on Dec. 4, 2024, at the Veterans Village Apartments in Merrillville.
Detectives later obtained search warrants for Apartment 204 at 7931 Iowa Street in Merrillville and a black GMC Yukon investigators observed Price operating.
When warrants were executed on Dec. 12, 2024, officers reportedly took Price into custody after observing him leave the apartment building and enter the Yukon. During a pat-down search, police allegedly recovered multiple baggies containing suspected fentanyl and cocaine.
Investigators said a search of the apartment uncovered digital scales, packaging materials commonly associated with narcotics distribution, and other drug-related items. Additional fentanyl test strips and Narcan containers were allegedly found inside the GMC Yukon.
According to police, officers recovered six baggies containing approximately 3 grams of cocaine and 42 baggies containing approximately 29 grams of fentanyl.
During an interview with investigators, Price allegedly admitted he sold fentanyl and crack cocaine from his vehicle and targeted fellow patients at a methadone clinic, meeting buyers in parking lots.
Investigators also stated Price admitted to selling drugs to people he knew had previously overdosed.
An additional $683 in cash was reportedly found on Price during the booking process.
The Lake County Prosecutor’s Office said it remains committed to working alongside local law enforcement agencies to pursue justice in violent crime and narcotics cases.
