The Cass County Drug Enforcement Team and City of Dowagiac Director of Public Safety Tom Atkinson announce that multiple subjects have been arrested for various offenses during an increased police presence throughout the City of Dowagiac in the past few weeks.

Dowagiac City police officers and CCDET detectives have been working together to investigate drug and theft related crimes in response to an increase in thefts throughout the Dowagiac area. Detectives have made arrests for home invasion, meth manufacturing, outstanding warrants, possession of morphine and requested charges on an almost year-old home invasion as a result of the increased focus.

Justin Young, 21, was arrested Aug. 6 for a home invasion that occurred on July 29 in the 400 block of East Railroad Street. Young also had an outstanding warrant for his arrest. Young was arraigned on several charges in 4th District Court of Cass County including the primary charge of home invasion 1st degree. Young is currently held at the Cass County Jail with a $40,200 bond.

During the course of a theft investigation, officers and detectives received information regarding methamphetamine production in the 100 block of Bishop Street in the City of Dowagiac. Detectives went to the location Aug. 20 and located an active meth lab. Randy Means, 32, was arrested and lodged at the Cass County Jail. Means was arraigned in 4th District Court for multiple charges including maintaining a meth lab within 500 feet of a residence. Means is currently held at the Cass County Jail on a $40,000 bond for manufacturing of methamphetamine.

On Aug. 22, detectives and patrol offices arrested Richard Ashby, 49, for possession of morphine and an outstanding warrant out of Berrien County for a probation violation stemming from a retail fraud 2nd degree. The arrest happened on West Railroad Street near Jay Street in the City of Dowagiac. Ashby was arraigned in 4th District Court for possession of morphine and is held at the Cass County Jail on a $10,000 bond.

During the increased patrols, officers located multiple other miscellaneous violations and made another minor warrant arrest. Detectives have developed information that led officers to request charges from the Cass County Prosecutor’s Office regarding a home invasion from September 2011 that took place in the City of Dowagiac.

The above matters remain under investigation. Anyone with information on this or any other drug related crime is asked to contact the Cass County Drug Enforcement Team at (269) 782-5206, the tip line at (800) 462-9328, the City of Dowagiac Police Department at (269) 782-9743 or leave an anonymous web tip at www.ccso.info.