Major Drug House In Merrillville Raided
The Lake County Sheriff’s Drug Task Force – Regional Enforcement Team conducted an operation that led to ten arrests and shut the doors on a suspected neighborhood drug house in Merrillville, according to Lake County Sheriff Oscar Martinez Jr. Illegal activity at the house triggered some 170 police calls for service over the past 15 years, Martinez stated.
On Wednesday, October 15, 2025, the Lake County Sheriff’s DTF-RET and the Sheriff’s SWAT Team executed a narcotics search warrant at a home in the 7800 block of Hendricks Street.
Officers confiscated:
· $3790 U.S. currency
· 54 grams of methamphetamine
· 10 grams of cocaine
· 12 grams of fentanyl
· 13 grams of mushrooms
It’s believed people from across the region bought and used illicit drugs at the house, Martinez said.
The operation was the result of an extensive investigation into suspected narcotics dealer 50-year-old Trish Rose, of the Hendricks Street home and her accomplice 49-year-old Shawn Fullgraf, of Cedar Lake. They were arrested and booked into the Lake County Jail facing multiple charges including dealing methamphetamine and cocaine.
Rose’s son, 21-year-old Ryan Rose, also of the Hendricks Street address, was also taken into custody. He is a felon previously arrested for murder and now faces pending drug charges.
The Sheriff’s Regional Enforcement Team, a HIDTA (High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area) initiative, is comprised of police officers from multiple law enforcement agencies.
“This operation is the result of dedicated investigative work and collaboration aimed at keeping our neighborhoods safe. Removing neighborhood drug dealers from our streets helps reduce violent crime and drug-related issues which put residents at risk.”
“I commend all law enforcement officers who participated in this investigation for a job well done. Their efforts make a real difference every day,” Martinez added.
