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Harrisburg man arrested on drug charges, may have connection to recent shootings

HARRISBURG – A Harrisburg man arrested by Illinois State Police early Thursday on three counts of unlawful delivery of methamphetamine may be linked to an earlier shooting that left three in Harrisburg injured, according to police.

ISP arrested Dennis Jackson, 31, who lived on the northeast corner of the intersection of Poplar and Land streets on the west side of Harrisburg.

Harrisburg Police Chief David Morris said he has learned that there may be a connection between Jackson, a March 25 shooting that left three injured on East Dayton Avenue and a Henderson, Ky. man who sometimes stayed at Jackson's residence.

According to a news release from Kentucky State Police, Jared Crawford of Henderson also was arrested Thursday as part of a multi-agency investigation by KSP, Drug Enforcement/Special Investigations – West, Kentucky State Police Drug Task Force, Henderson Police Department and the Evansville, Ind. Drug Enforcement Administration.

Crawford was found to be in possession of about 1 pound of crystal methamphetamine for the purpose of distribution worth about $44,000 and about six ounces of processed marijuana. He was taken to the Henderson County Detention Center.

"Dennis Jackson was a person of interest in that shooting. Jared Crawford, too, was a person of interest. He stayed with Dennis Jackson. They are affiliated with each other," Morris said.

He also said some evidence ISP discovered at Jackson's residence may be linked to the shooting, though he emphasized that the drug arrest was a separate incident.

"The raid by state police Thursday had nothing to do with the shooting, although there were some of the persons of interest in the shooting who had been at that residence," Morris said. "Some of the items found as the drug arrest warrant search was conducted may link some of the people at that house to the shooting."

ISP has been the lead investigation following the shooting.