Snap 05-31-07

In South Dakota – State highway patrol troopers seized a large amount of crystal Meth in a traffic stop on Interstate 90. A trooper pulled over a car for a traffic violation, then officers searched it after a drug dog detected something in the vehicle. Troopers first found six-grams of crystal Meth and a pipe; then they discovered a hidden compartment that held 21 pounds of crystal Meth and about two-pounds of cocaine.
Information from KELO-TV, Rapid City Journal, Sioux Falls Argus Leader

In Florida - 14 people face charges of trafficking Meth after "Operation Crankdown" led to early morning raids. Officers coordinated raids at the homes of 18-suspects in an alleged Meth cooking and dealing ring. Officers seized several cars they said were used in the drug trafficking. While officers have not called the suspects part of an organized Meth ring, they confirmed that many of them knew each other, and some even took turns cooking Meth for the group, as well as for themselves. One of the suspects had just recently been released from medical care after being severely burned while cooking Meth.

In California - A deputy discovered the waste from a Meth lab abandoned in dry brush along a roadside. The officer came across materials including sulfuric acid, crumpled camping fuel containers and red phosphorus. A detective estimated from the amount of waste that the cooks produced about 10 pounds of Meth.

In Montana - A 41-year-old man received a 12-year federal prison sentence for conspiracy to distribute Meth. He was also ordered to forfeit more than $12,000 of cash or property. His 48-year-old wife is waiting sentencing on the same charge. They were arrested after selling Meth to confidential police informants about 50 times. When officers raided the suspects’ home, they found the couple’s children, 3- and 5-years-old, in "deplorable condition, with garbage, rotting food and debris everywhere." According to court records, the 5-year-old had to have teeth pulled allegedly because of exposure to Meth.

In Wisconsin - A 39-year-old man whose efforts to assist in Hurricane Katrina recovery resulted in his addiction to Meth was sentenced in federal court to four years and two months in prison and five years probation for Meth trafficking. He was convicted of conspiring with a 23-year-old man to distribute Meth.

In Montana - A 36-year-old man who admitted possessing Meth for distribution was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison. He pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute. Prosecutors said he had about 2-ounces of Meth when he was arrested.

In Ohio – A 32-year-old man and a 21-year-old woman were caught running from an outbuilding when officers served a warrant to search for a Meth lab. The two suspects took off when a video monitoring system showed the officers coming up the driveway, but they ran right towards deputies and a K9 unit waiting in the back of the building. Officers got the search warrant after investigating tips about Meth manufacturing on the property. They did find a Meth lab, a loaded gun, marijuana and prescription pills in the building.

In Texas – Officials busted a Meth trafficking ring with the arrests of three men, 56-, 39- and 24-years old and a 41-year-old woman. The 56-year-old has already been sentenced to six years in federal prison for his role. The others have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. A 23-year-old woman pleaded guilty to failing to report and concealing the crime. The federal government is seeking seizure of a residence, land, a pickup, a motorcycle, $80,000 cash and 20 firearms in connection to the case.

In Vermont - A Canadian man is charged with supplying a U.S. resident ferrying Meth from Canada to Vermont when customs officials caught him allegedly coming into the United States carrying some product. The 37-year-old so far faces a single felony count of conspiracy to distribute narcotics. The American has not yet been arrested, but has allegedly successfully transported an undisclosed quantity of Meth into Vermont twice before the supplier’s arrest.

In Washington - A man wanted on a vehicular homicide charge says he used Meth five days before the accident that resulted in the death of a twenty-two month old girl. The State Patrol claims the suspect caused the deadly three-car crash and have issued a warrant for his arrest. He reportedly admitted to a State Trooper in the hospital after the collision that he was checking phone messages at the time of the accident and that he'd smoked Meth five days before the crash, had not slept in up to five days and only had six to eight hours of sleep over the previous few days. The suspect has eleven prior felony convictions, including a 1998 hit and run. He also has an outstanding warrant for a probation violation.

In Tennessee - A man who was cooking Meth at his girlfriend's daycare business last year will serve 10 years in jail, while she will be on probation for 12 years. The 42-year-old man and 37-year-old woman offered guilty pleas in exchange for those sentences. When deputies raided the daycare in July of 2006, they found a full Meth lab, some finished Meth and paraphernalia where young children were being kept.

In New York - Federal prosecutors have charged ten people with buying too many over-the-counter pseudoephedrine medications. It's the biggest sting operation yet since a federal law was put in place last year aimed at stopping the production of Meth.

In Colorado - Six people were picked up when officers busted a drug ring and seized four-pounds of Meth, five-ounces of cocaine and a small amount of crack cocaine. The Drug Enforcement Agency said the people arrested are organized criminals who were developing revenue with other people. The suspects face eight to 48 years behind bars if they are convicted on all charges.

In Indiana - A 23-year-old man was hospitalized for chemical burns that police suspect he suffered in a Meth-related accident. He originally showed up at an emergency room claiming he had been in a fight. He was airlifted to another hospital for admission to a burn unit; meanwhile, deputies found a suspected Meth lab in his home. The sheriff expects the suspect will be arrested after his release from the hospital.

In California – Officers checking on a man in a parked car identified the driver as a parolee, and then discovered a second man, who had approached the vehicle, had $900 in his pocket. The drug agents received permission to search the car and found more than two ounces of crystal Meth packaged in quantities ranging from two grams to one ounce hidden in the console between the front seats. The driver, a 22-year-old man, was arrested on suspicion of possession and transportation of Meth for sale, and not having a valid driver’s license.

In Alabama - Drug agents zapped a woman with a Taser when she tried to run away following a raid on a Meth lab. The 22-year-old and two 19-year-old men were inside the house when officers showed up with a search warrant. The woman managed to slip her hands through the handcuffs after officers rounded them up. She tried to get into a car to run from the scene, and officers needed to use the Taser to stop her. Officers found Meth labs in the master bedroom and kitchen. The man who owns the house was not present during the raid, but this was the third Meth-related raid at his house.

May 31, 2007