CAMDEN — Camden Police officials continue to fight drug and other criminal activities. Two recent arrests highlighted this, according to Police Chief Matt Spurlock.

“We continue to see out-of-towners bring criminal activity to Camden — this is unacceptable and our citizens do not want this type of behavior in the community,” Spurlock said via email last week.

Sommer Marie Viars, 39, of Middletown, was arrested Saturday, Feb. 15, on charges including aggravated possession of drugs and illegal use or possession of drug paraphernalia. According to Eaton Municipal Court records, on Feb. 15, Officer Matt Taylor was dispatched to 7 Shawnee Plains on a report of two individuals there who refused to leave. During his investigation, Taylor found Viars “in a bedroom with drugs and paraphernalia visible.”

Viars reportedly admitted the drugs were meth and they belonged to her.

In another incident, Eric Lafuse, 57, Richmond, Indiana, was arrested on charges including improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle, possession of marijuana, and illegal use or possession of marijuana drug paraphernalia.

According to EMC records, Officer Taylor was traveling southbound on U.S. 127 in Camden when he noticed a red color vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed toward him in the northbound lane. Upon stopping the vehicle driven by Lafuse, Taylor “could smell a strong odor of raw marijuana coming from the vehicle.” Marijuana and paraphernalia was located on Lafuse. A loaded Smith & Wesson firearm was recovered from the vehicle’s glove box.

“Officer Taylor started with CPD in August of 2019 and he brings 10 years of police experience with him,” Spurlock said. “Taylor has hit the ground running and he is a key asset to the department in the battle against drugs and criminal activity.”