Newton Police Department
• Gary D. Bird Jr., 41, address unknown, is charged with fourth-degree theft after an incident at 1:44 p.m. Nov. 2. Bird is believed to be one of the shoplifters at True Value who ran out of the store with stolen items and got inside of a vehicle. The car would not start, and the suspects were seen running from the vehicle. Bird was identified as one of the suspects. Bird was arrested on a warrant for fourth-degree theft at 3:54 p.m. Dec. 23. Bird was found walking in the 700 block of First Avenue East. He was also wanted on a warrant for violation of parole. Bird was taken to the Jasper County Jail.
• Laura M. Nations, 32, of Newton, was arrested at 7:44 p.m. Dec. 25 and charged with harboring a runaway against wishes of parent, an aggravated misdemeanor. Nations was taken to the Jasper County Jail.
• Erika E. Axtell, 21, and Alexandra L. Cupples, 21, both of Newton, are charged with possession of controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia after police received a complaint at 11:50 p.m. Dec. 20 of a strong odor of marijuana at the Bookfield Apartment Complex. Cupples and Axtell were inside the apartment. They told police they smoked earlier. After getting a warrant, a plastic bag containing 3.5 grams of a green leafy substance was found by police. Cupples and Axtell were both arrested and taken to the Jasper County Jail.