Founder of Jeffersonville group to help homeless arrested in Clarksville

Libby Cunningham, The Evening News and the Tribune, Jeffersonville, Ind.
·2 min read

Dec. 2—CLARKSVILLE — Clarksville Police arrested on Thursday the founder of an organization that provides services for people experiencing homelessness.

Chief Mark Palmer told the News and Tribune that officers executed a search warrant on the home of Paul Stensrud off Birch Avenue.

Stensrud spoke to the News and Tribune Friday afternoon. He said Jesus Cares at Exit 0, his organization that aids people experiencing homeless in the area, will continue to operate in Jeffersonville.

Palmer said when the department executed the search on Stensrud's home they found a home grow operation consisting of grow tents, lights, a watering system and ventilation.

"We also found what appeared to be the process of growing mushrooms," Palmer said. "We did find marijuana material, as well as what we could call packaged buds and remains of material that had been smoked."

He said the town had received complaints about odors coming from the residence and traffic going into the home.

Stensrud was booked in the Clark County jail Thursday afternoon on charges of maintaining a common nuisance, possession of a schedule 1, dealing marijuana and possession of marijuana.

The Clark County Sheriff's Office confirmed Stensrud was in Clark Circuit Court 2 on Friday and was released in court. He is still facing charges.

Jesus Cares at Exit 0 is located at West Maple Baptist Church in Jeffersonville. It provides meals, showers, laundry and other necessities to people experiencing homelessness in Southern Indiana.

The News and Tribune spoke to Stensrud in May as he was renovating its facilities to provide these services to people.

In July, Stensrud said there'd been an increase in needs across the region, thanks to things like inflation and the end of the COVID eviction moratorium, and more people were using the group's services. At that point 100 to 125 people were attending dinner on Sundays at the location.

"A lot of it is families are having to make decisions between gas versus food, prescriptions over fuel," he said in July, adding he'd been seeing a lot of new faces experiencing homelessness.

Palmer said CPD has to follow the evidence in cases, no matter where it points to. The case is still under investigation.

"Unfortunately in this situation Paul is a community member that is known to be helpful and to help out individuals," Palmer said. "It's sad to see...we are going to explore all avenues to get those answers."