Carl Ball

ALPENA — Alpena’s Carl Christopher Ball, 42, was arrested Wednesday by the Michigan State Police, accused of possession of methamphetamine a year after providing lodging to a man accused of passing fake money in Alpena.

Ball was questioned by police in September 2019 after a downstate man, Cameron Gardner, was found staying at Ball’s house. Gardner was caught with $900 worth of fake $20 bills he tried to spend at Alpena businesses.

Police, tipped off by a call Garnder made from a jail phone shortly after his arrest, secured a warrant and found illegal narcotics — including several pills and two sandwich baggies containing suspected amphetamines — behind a cookie jar and in a cabinet at Ball’s residence, according to police reports.

Ball denied knowing the drugs were there.

Ball told police Gardner was a relative stranger to him. Ball had hired Gardner to work at a local business and allowed Gardner to stay at his house on weekdays, returning downstate most weekends, he told police.

Police also found a bag of a substance that may have been heroin outside of Ball’s house. Police believe the bag was discarded by Gardner before his arrest.

Another inmate, who has been charged with selling methamphetamine in Alpena, told police Gardner has been selling drugs in Alpena since May 2019. An agent of the U.S. Secret Service also advised the Alpena County Sheriff’s Office about drug activity Gardner was conducting in the Alpena area, according to police reports.

Police are pursuing additional drug charges against Ball, who is awaiting arraignment on the possession charge at the Alpena County Jail.

Gardner pleaded guilty in December to possessing the fake bills and was sentenced to 13 months behind bars. A charge of delivery of methamphetamine was dismissed.