Staff writer

PRINCETON-A man will face Class A felony drug dealing charges, after being accused of supplying methamphetamine to individuals under the age of 18, according to charging information.

Carl H. Cotner III, 36, was charged Tuesday in Gibson County Circuit Court with dealing a Schedule II controlled substance to a person under 18 years of age, a Class A felony; possession of methamphetamine, a Class D felony; possession of precursors, a Class D felony; two counts of D felony possession of a controlled substance; and possession of marijuana, a Class A misdemeanor.

According to an affidavit for probable cause, Cotner was in the Gibson County Jail on a pending charge when the dealing to a minor count was filed against him.

Princeton Police served a warrant Feb. 26 on Teresa Sartore, who lives at Cotner's residence on South Seminary, in Princeton. According to the charges, Cotner is accused of providing meth to Sartore's 16-year-old daughter.

Officers said they observed stripped lithium batteries and muriatic acid on the porch of the residence as they attempted to serve the warrant on Sartore. After obtaining a search warrant for the home, officers entered the residence and found three metal safes, along with drug paraphernalia, acid and stripped batteries, according to police.

According to the affidavit, Cotner told PPD Det. Mike Hurt during and interview at the jail that the safe contained marijuana and cash, and also admitted that he would sometimes &#8220cook" meth near the railroad tracks just off Ohio Street

Police obtained another search warrant, opened one of the safes and said they found $480 in cash; scales with white powder that later tested positive as meth; four blister packs of pseudoephedrine; two baggies containing pseudoephedrine; marijuana; several coffee filters containing meth; prescription pills; and Cotner's driver's license and other identification documents.

According to the affidavit, police also interviewed the minor who told them Cotner and another man, Anthony Bowles, 25, provided her with meth between 10-20 times since October 2006, when she moved into Cotner's home.

Bowles is already in custody at the Gibson County Jail on charges of resisting with a vehicle, possession of precursors, theft, illegal possession of anhydrous ammonia and reckless driving, according to court records.

Bowles and Cotner were arrested together on Feb. 19 while allegedly attempting to steal anhydrous ammonia from the Patoka Co-op, according to court records.

Cotner is being held on $5,000 cash bond.