The owner of a former Griffith restaurant has been charged with three felonies after a November incident in which suspected cocaine was found in a customer’s order, according to a probable cause affidavit.
Carrie Lynn Demoff, 49, of Griffith, is charged with attempted dealing of cocaine, a level 4 felony; possession of cocaine and maintaining a common nuisance, controlled substance, both level 6 felonies. She was arrested Thursday at a friend’s house after a warrant was issued, Griffith Police spokesman Commander Keith Martin said.
Griffith police received a 911 call Nov. 21 from a woman who said she’d “found narcotics in her food,” according to a probable cause affidavit. When an officer went to the house, the woman told him she’d just picked up her order from Broad Street Gyros, 105 N. Broad St., but had received a phone call from a restaurant employee asking her to bring back an order of cheese sticks, according to charging documents.
The officer said the woman found a plastic foam cup with a small plastic bag of white powder inside, which field-tested positive for cocaine, documents said. Detectives later confiscated video surveillance from the restaurant and sent it to the Indiana State Police to view, documents said.
According to court documents issued Thursday, Griffith Detective Lt. Kevin Strbjak said during a review of the surveillance video he saw Demoff leave the kitchen and cross the restaurant into its office before returning to the kitchen.
Once Demoff returned to the kitchen, she went to the preparation line and dropped something into a small white plastic foam container before sealing it, court records state.
Demoff kept the container in her possession before placing a clear plastic container of red sauce on top of it and putting both in a bag, the probable cause affidavit states. The bag was in view of the camera for approximately 20 minutes before it was put into another bag and given to the customer who reported the order to police, documents said.
Approximately 10 minutes after the customer who called police picked up the order, a man came into the restaurant, bypassed the cashier and spoke directly to Demoff, court records said. The man started counting out cash while a visibly upset Demoff can be seen “frantically making phone calls,” the records state.
The restaurant has been closed since Nov. 22.
Michelle L. Quinn is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
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