Twin brothers charged with felony weapons charges, drug charges following search warrant

Joedward and Jalen Bynum

ELKHART COUNTY, Ind. -- Court documents from Elkhart County reveal 21-year-old twin brothers were arrested and charged with several felonies following the execution of a search warrant on Jan. 24.

Jalen Bynum is charged with two counts of Possession of a Machine Gun, Level 5 Felonies, Neglect of a Dependent, a Level 6 Felony, Possession of Marijuana, a Misdemeanor, and Possession of Paraphernalia, a Misdemeanor.

Joedward Bynum is charged with two counts of Possession of a Machine Gun, Level 5 Felonies, Possession of Marijuana, a Misdemeanor, and Possession of Paraphernalia, a Misdemeanor.

Neither have an initial court date set at this time.

Documents state on Jan. 24, around 3 p.m., an officer with the Elkhart Police Department was tasked with surveilling a residence in the 2500 block of Links Drive in Elkhart.

Police say at around 7:32 p.m., the officer witnessed a silver 2016 Chevrolet Impala, registered to Jalen, one of the targets of the search warrant. The officer on scene then notified back-up, who arrived less than an hour later with the signed search warrant.

Police on scene cleared the vehicle, ensuring no one was inside. An officer then noted the smell of burnt marijuana coming from the car. Authorities then located an empty firearm holster on the floorboard of the driver's side.

The report states police then entered the apartment after knocking and announcing the search warrant.

Police say several people were heard moving around inside after knocking and it was decided to breach the door to maintain safety. Jalen and Joedward were located inside alongside a woman.

The woman's 3-week-old was found in a "pack and play" in a bedroom.

Police cleared the residence and located several Glock handguns on the floor, along with an AR pistol and a "Draco," a type of AK-47 based gun. Authorities also found various THC products, marijuana, and paraphernalia lying on the floor.

Police noted there was poster in the bathroom with a five-point star and two other flags with similar imagery on the wall in the apartment. Police say In Joedward's room there was a black flag with a five point start in the middle, with "BPSN" outlined running through the center of the star. Documents state the words "Almighty Black P. Stone Nation" were also featured on the flag.

Authorities noted the symbols are associated with a criminal gang symbol, specifically the Almighty Black P. Stone Nation, a Blood subset.

The three were taken into custody. Jalen and the woman agreed to speak with police while Joedward chose not to.

Officers further located a black and tan Glock 35.40 cal. with a "Glock switch" with a "drum mag" inserted and an additional two extended magazines in Jalen's room.

Police then found a tan Glock 19X with a drum magazine in the corner of the bedroom near the nightstand. Officers noted the firearm had a laser sight affixed to the end of the gun.

Authorities also located another black and brown Draco near the nightstand with a magazine inserted. In the same nightstand police found loose ammunition including 9mm, .40 cal., and .223 caliber rifle ammunition.

Documents state there were also additional Glock magazines, and multiple THC vapes, along with a multi-colored ceramic smoking pipe with burnt residue.

Investigators then found a large multicolored bag containing a leafy green substance, suspected to be marijuana, underneath the TV in the same bedroom.

A rolling tray, THC vape, and marijuana grinder were also found in the same location. Officer noted several empty dispensary bags branded as "The Dude Abides" with a small amount of marijuana shake were on the shelf in the corner near the TV.

An additional black Glock 35 handgun with a drug mag, vertical foregrip, and Glock switch was also found in the washing machine in the laundry room. All firearms, firearm accessories, ammunition, paraphernalia, and THC products were seized.

Jalen was taken to the EPD and interviewed. Jalen told detectives he'd been in a criminal gang since he was 16 or 17 years old.

Jalen subsequently admitted to owning a Glock 19X, Glock 19, Draco, and the Glock 34 located under his bed. Police say he also admitted to knowing the Glock switches convert the semi-automatic firearm to a firearm capable of firing multiple projectiles with the single pull of the trigger.

Detectives asked about the THC products, to which Jalen stated he regularly uses them three to four times a week.

A further search of the Chevrolet revealed a partially consumed "marijuana pre-roll" in a plastic tube along with a Glock style magazine in the center console.

First Warning Neighborhood Weather

Close