Habitual Offender Charged In Death Of Hammond Man
A Gary man has been charged with Dealing In Cocaine and Dealing In A Controlled Substance Resulting In A Death
Back in January of 2024, a Hammond man died as a result of an overdose. According to court documents, the substance consumed was traced back to a drug purchase from Anthony Polk, 33, of Gary.
Over the course of a year long investigation, utilizing surveillance, controlled buys, and cell phone data, Hammond Police were able to secure charges on Polk.
During an interview with police, Polk denied selling drugs, even after he was advised that he was on video doing so. Polk stated that he would be willing to cooperate and aid in the investigation, while also maintaining he was not a drug dealer. He indicated that he would just get cocaine for others who needed it. Polk stated that he noticed the substance is a lot stronger than it usually is, and that it was probably mixed with something else. Polk then stated he had also used the cocaine that he was delivering and that he thought “fentanyl or something” may have also been in it. Polk also stated “they” are putting fentanyl on everything now, before insisting that he didn’t sell drugs.
Polk is currently lodged in Lake County Jail charged with:
Dealing in a controlled substance resulting in death – Level 1 Felony
Dealing in Cocaine – Level 5 Felony
A federal indictment in 2024 also charged Polk with 3 counts of Distribution of a Schedule II Controlled Substance (Cocaine). Polk was sentenced in December of 2024 on 1 count to 10 months in the Federal Bureau of Prisons, followed by 3 years of supervised release.
Polk also has another case pending in Lake County from 2019 for 2 counts of Armed Robbery as a level 3 felony and 1 count of Attempted Armed Robbery as a level 3 felony.
Additionally, Polk is currently on probation in Porter County for an OWI.
