When Columbus Police took two residents into custody on arrest warrants, they also found something unexpected: a handgun with the serial numbers removed.
Asa G. Wisler, 41, of 1807 California St., is facing preliminary charges of obliterating identifying marks on a handgun, two counts of possession of a legend drug and charges from the original warrants.
Amber D. Morgan, 35, of 522 S. Cherry St., has three outstanding Bartholomew County warrants, as well as one issued in Franklin. Morgan is also charged locally with giving police a false identity statement.
At about 10:20 p.m. Tuesday night, both Wisler and Morgan were observed by police patrolling in the 700 block of Werner Avenue. The suspects were standing next to a vehicle with the interior light on, Columbus Police spokesman Lt. Matt Harris stated in a news release.
Officers determined a short time later that both had outstanding warrants issued for their arrest. In his Bartholomew County warrant, Wisler — who was declared a habitual traffic offender in 2015 — was ordered to be arrested Oct. 7 after two probation violations, online court records show. He has a similar conviction in Madison County.
Morgan’s warrant charges her with driving while suspended in Bartholomew County twice last July, as well as once in March, records state. She’s also charged with the same offense in Johnson County, online court entries show. Her arrest warrant was issued Sept. 28 after she failed to show up for her bench trial in Bartholomew Superior Court 2.
As the two suspects were being searched Tuesday after being placed under arrest, one officer noticed that Wisler had an empty handgun holster on his waist, Harris stated. Moments later, the arresting officers discovered a black handgun laying on the ground where they had first observed Wisler standing, he said.
Upon closer inspection of the weapon, the officers discovered the serial numbers on the firearm had been removed, Harris stated.
Both Wisler and Morgan were booked into the Bartholomew County Jail, where Wisler was ordered to be placed on a 48-hour hold while his case is further investigated. Morgan will likely be turned over to Johnson County authorities.
