FAYETTE COUNTY, Ind. Court documents reveal that the drug dealer behind a multi-million dollar operation in Fayette County had a mole inside the sheriff’s department feeding him information and helping him stay one step ahead of police.

In October 2022, Tristen Sweney’s home in Connersville was swarmed by state police. Inside the house, state troopers found 309 pounds of packaged marijuana, 34 pounds of THC wax and 14,000 THC cartridges. All in all, the bust was valued to have a street worth of over $2 million.

And Sweney never saw it coming. But he should have. At least in his mind. Because the drug dealer had an “eye in the sky.” One police wouldn’t learn about fully until years later, as rumors of a dirty cop eventually led them to one of their own— former Fayette County Chief Deputy Chad Blaes.

A man on the inside

On July 29, a dozen criminal charges were filed against former Fayette County Deputy Andrew “Chad” Blaes, 46, of Connersville. These charges include corrupt business influence, a Level 5 felony; bribery, a Level 5 felony; obstruction of justice, a Level 6 felony; and several counts of official misconduct, a Level 6 felony.

While neither the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department nor state police weighed in on the charges suddenly being filed against the one-time chief deputy, court documents obtained by FOX59/CBS4 lay out the case against him.

According to the lengthy investigation spearheaded by state police and the FBI, Blaes is accused of being an informant for Sweney. Supplying the drug dealer not only with information about police activities and deputy schedules, but going as far as tipping off Sweney when investigators were moving in on his operations and even scaring off deputies who were prying into Sweney.

Court documents reveal that text messages were uncovered on Sweney’s phone between him and this rumored “inside man.” A birthday text helped tie the messages to Blaes, who allegedly used an app to spoof his phone number in an attempt to hide his identity.

But a message from Sweney wishing the “inside man” a happy birthday was sent on the same day of Blaes’ birthday. Further, investigators found another message congratulating the “inside man” on his son’s graduation from high school. This message was sent the same day Blaes’ son graduated from high school.

Federal investigators eventually subpoenaed the app maker and uncovered that Blaes’ name was attached to the account used on the phone spoofing program.

Warnings from Sweney’s ‘Eye in the Sky’

“You and your guys don’t move anything tonite ther (sic) is a bunch of state police stopping people looking for dope so keep ur self and ur guys safe,” Blaes warned Sweney in one of the text message chains.

Court documents reveal that despite Sweney having an inside man in the sheriff’s department, one who rose to the rank of Chief Deputy in 2023, the drug dealer was still paranoid about the noose closing in around his million-dollar marijuana operation.

“S***s got me tripping to be honest,” Sweney messaged Blaes. “But I be overthinking sometimes. Like what if they tried to go around you or something?”

“Not sure why they wuld (sic) because I kno everything that goes on,” Blaes reassured him. “Plus there isn’t any new officers.”

“My name hasn’t been brought up at all by anyone?” Sweney asked.

“No one,” Blaes reassured him.

Rumors of a dirty cop ‘on retainer’

Further alleged evidence of Blaes working with Sweney came from informants familiar with Sweney’s drug operations. According to the court documents, one of these informants told investigators that Blaes was dirty and working with Sweney.

In February, a few deputies within the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department also reported hearing rumors circulating about how Blaes was a “dirty cop.” One of these deputies recounted a time in 2020 when he pulled over a buyer spotted leaving Sweney’s house.

After questioning the buyer about the drugs found on him, the buyer allegedly told the deputy that Sweney had a cop “on retainer” within the sheriff’s department.

This same deputy said not long after speaking to this buyer, he pulled Sweney over after surveilling the drug dealer’s home. While the deputy was standing outside Sweney’s vehicle, he suddenly received a phone call from Blaes, who was somehow aware that Sweney had just been pulled over.

According to the deputy’s account, Blaes warned him to back off Sweney and “not ruin” Blaes’ investigation into Sweney. Blaes allegedly told the deputy not to push Sweney for information, either, or conduct a search of Sweney’s vehicle.

More allegations began to point toward Blaes being corrupt in late 2024 when Blaes is accused of warning Sweney about a GPS device put on an informant’s vehicle. Blaes allegedly asked deputies about the tracker, only for deputies to learn that shortly afterward, the informants received a call from Sweney telling them to switch vehicles.

Deputies later questioned the informant about this incident. The informant allegedly gave up the identity of the dirty cop who warned them of the GPS. The dirty cop was Chad Blaes, the informant said.

The informant told investigators that Blaes was on Sweney’s payroll and received between $1,000 and $10,000 a month to provide the drug dealer with information about police movements and investigations. Sweney allegedly called Blaes his “eye in the sky,” according to the informant.

The informant told investigators that Blaes and Sweney didn’t trust each other when they first met. The story went that the pair stripped down to their underwear and put their cell phones in a freezer to make sure each weren’t wearing wires. Then they cut a deal.

According to the informant, Sweney allegedly called Blaes on the day his house was raided by state police, angry he wasn’t given a heads up. Blaes allegedly told Sweney he didn’t know about the raid due to state police keeping Fayette County in the dark.

The Fayette Sheriff’s Department said Blaes retired from the department on Jan. 15, 2025. Fourteen days later, the department put out a statement on Facebook about an investigation into misconduct by an unidentified employee.

Sweney also faces new charges for his part in this investigation. Those charges include corrupt business influence, a Level 5 felony, and conspiracy to commit bribery, a Level 5 felony.

Blaes was arrested on July 30 and booked into Fayette County Jail. Sweney was apprehended on Aug. 1.