Rochester man arrested for allegedly selling fentanyl to a police informant on two occasions

Monday, March 2, 2026 at 5:18 PM

By Staff report

A Rochester man was arrested Feb. 25, after he was allegedly caught selling fentanyl to a police informant two times last fall.

According to reports, Ryne Carpenter, 36, of Rochester was charged two Level 4 Felony counts of dealing a narcotic drug and two Level 5 Felony counts possession of a narcotic drug.

Court documents reveal that in Oct. 2025 the Rochester Police Department, Indiana State Police, and.Fulton County Sheriff's Office conducted a
controlled buy for approximately a half of a gram of fentanyl from Carpenter utilizing $80 of U.S. Currency supplied from the Fulton County Sheriff' s Office Drug Task Force Funds.

It was reported Carpenter requested the buyer to meet him in the empty parking lot behind Steve's Quick Stop at 601 Main St. in Rochester for the transaction. Assisting detectives sitting in the area for surveillance reportedly observed Carpenter pull in to the parking lot, get out of his car and enter the passenger seat of another vehicle for the exchange.

After engaging in conversation, Carpenter then allegedly placed a foil containing a brown substance in a cup holder and accepted the $80 as payment for the drug. After the transaction the suspected fentanyl was transported to the Fulton County Sheriff's Office, where it was weighed at approximately .8 grams.

Carpenter was again recorded a during second interaction with the informant on Nov. 5 at the Fulton County Public Library, where he allegedly sold approximately 0.2 grams of heroin/fentanyl for the cost of $50.

During the second transaction at the library, Carpenter was allegedly reported to be accompanied by a female who was identified as Jessica Robin. When first conducting the trade Carpenter had been talking on the phone, but handed the informant a piece of foil containing a brown substance. While waiting for Carpenter to get off the phone, Robin commented about the narcotic, stating the drug was good quality.

An arrest warrant was also issued on Feb. 18 for Jessica Robin, age 26, of Rochester. Robin faces charges of dealing a narcotic drug, a Level 4 Felony, and two counts of possession of a narcotic drug, both Level 5 Felonies. Robin has yet to be arrested for the recent charges.