3 charged after traffic stop nets drugs in NW Indiana

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Left to right: Thomas Aiken, Phillip Guzman Jr. and Joshua Nicolas Hesser-Pralle | New Chicago police

NEW CHICAGO, Ind. - Three men are facing charges after being pulled over Wednesday morning in northwest Indiana with cocaine, fentanyl and heroin in their vehicle.

After midnight, New Chicago police officers spotted a silver vehicle sitting idle in the middle of Decatur Avenue near Liverpool Road.

When officers approached, the car sped past them and ignored a stop sign before eventually being pulled over, police said.

The three men in the car were Joshua Nicolas Hesser-Pralle of South Holland, Thomas Aiken of New Chicago, Indiana, and Phillip Guzman Jr. of Lake Station, Indiana.

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Officers noticed the license plates on the vehicle were expired.

Guzman, who was driving the vehicle, was arrested for driving with a suspended license with a prior conviction.

Before towing the vehicle, police found a black box on the front seat of the vehicle. Inside was a white powdery substance and several small ziploc bags, police said.

The white substance, which weighed 21.5 grams, tested positive for cocaine, fentanyl and heroin.

Police also recovered 10 Oxycodone pills and two hypodermic syringes from the vehicle.

The other two occupants were also transported to Lake County Jail.

While being processed, Hesser-Pralle fought with an officer and jail staff while trying to swallow a white bag containing 12.2 grams of cocaine, fentanyl and heroin. Officers were able to stop him and recover the bag.

The suspects' charges are as follows:

Thomas Aiken