"Police find rolling meth lab"
Burglary investigation puts officer in place to observe meth lab
By CHRIS CLINE\Daily Journal Staff Writer
IRON MOUNTAIN LAKE - While the Iron Mountain Lake Police Department
was cleaning up a burglary investigation on Friday, a rolling
methamphetamine lab was uncovered. According to Iron Mountain Lake
Lt. Jerry Hicks, the incident occurred on Ferguson Street.

"A member of our department was cleaning up a burglary when a van
with out-of-state plates pulled into the driveway," Hicks said. "The
officer went out to talk with the driver. The officer explained the
situation to the driver and more or less told him that there had been a
number of burglaries in the area and that it was suspicious that this van
just pulled up out of the blue."

Hicks said the owner of the home had told the officer that the driver
had not been at the residence for nearly nine months.

"The officer asked for permission to search the van," Hicks said. "The
driver gave permission, but when the officer went to the back of the
van to open up the doors, the driver went nuts. The officer attempted
to restrain the driver, but he resisted. The driver was then placed under
arrest."

Hicks said when the search of the van continued, the components used
to manufacture methamphetamine were uncovered inside the van.

"Everything used to make methamphetamine was inside the van," Hicks
said. "We also found tools that are used burglarizing homes. The driver
was taken to the St. Francois County Jail."

Hicks said charges are pending against the driver. The Bismarck Police
Department and the St. Francois County Sheriff's Department assisted in
the arrest.
Mar 20, 2006 - 11:34:49 CST



"Police uncover meth in 'suspicious vehicle'"
By CHRIS CLINE\Daily Journal Staff Writer
IRON MOUNTAIN LAKE - Two people were arrested Monday evening at
Iron Mountain Lake after police uncovered a quantity of
methamphetamine in what police described as a suspicious vehicle.

"We noticed a vehicle sitting at the end of the road with two people
sitting in it," said Iron Mountain Lake Chief Jerry Hicks. "We thought it
looked suspicious. We went up to the vehicle and the occupants
appeared to be impaired. We asked for permission to search the vehicle
which was granted."

Hicks said drug paraphernalia including a quantity of methamphetamine
and hypodermic needles were found inside the vehicle.

Ronald Browers, 34, Iron Mountain Lake, was arrested and has been
charged in connection with the incident. Erin Light, 26, Arcadia Valley,
was also arrested and has been charged.

"The occupants had a bill of sale on a piece of notebook paper for the
vehicle, but did not have a title," Hicks said. "We are currently in the
process of finding out who the vehicle belongs to."

On Monday, the Iron Mountain Lake Board of Aldermen named Jerry Hicks
as the full-time police chief. Hicks had previously been serving as the
acting chief.
Apr 13, 2006 - 10:58:20 CDT




"The drug that causes incredible devastation"
Man struggles with addiction to meth
By TERESA RESSEL\Daily Journal Staff Writer

Photo courtesy of the Meth Awareness and Prevention Project of South
Dakota This picture shows what meth does to a user's teeth after
continued use.
Editor's Note: This is the second in a five-part series dealing with the
growing number of meth labs and meth use in the county. On
Wednesday, read about how the use and manufacturing of meth is
harming children.

He was a good student who could have graduated high school at the top
of his class.

Blair, who lived in Kansas City at the time, said none of his teachers or
classmates at school knew he had an addiction.

Blair said the first drug he experimented with was cocaine when he was
13 years old. He stole it from his father.

"My whole family did it," he said. He saw it as a way of life - a way to
get by.

One day, when the cocaine wasn't available, he tried a cheaper drug
that has a longer high - meth. He got it from one of his dad's friends.

"When I snorted it, I thought 'Oh my God it hurts so bad,'" Blair said. "But
from that first time on, I couldn't stop."

He said there's no feeling like it.

"I was on top of the world," he said. "My confidence level was soaring."

In the beginning, that high lasted two or three days.

When he turned 14, he began shooting it up. After that, he said, there
was no coming down. Blair said he would be up 10-12 days at a time and
then sleep a day and a half.

He said he was never a bad student. In fact, he said he was in the top
five percent of his class all throughout high school. He was set to get a
couple of scholarships.

"I was obsessed with my grades," he said.

He was kicked out of school his senior year for a drug charge and ended
up getting his GED.

Looking back, he thinks people around him probably knew something
was wrong. He didn't run around with the people he went to school
with.

"I was really skinny, real thin," he said.

The first time Blair sought treatment was when he was 16 years old.

"I told my parents I needed to go," he said. "I went over Christmas break
of my sophomore year."

He was able to stay clean for three months.

"Everyone in my life was doing it," he said. "I thought I could get out and
still hang around with the same people."

He also had trouble adjusting to normal sleeping and eating habits.

"I wasn't ready to live normal again," Blair said.

Blair has relapsed a couple times but is still fighting the battle. When this
reporter spoke to him, he was in a short-term residential treatment
program for a fourth time.

He said the last time, he was clean for nine months before he relapsed.

"It's really hard to stay away," he said. "It's everywhere."

He said one of the hardest thing has been cutting ties with everyone
from his old lifestyle. He said he still talks to his family but he broken all
ties with his old friends.

He said it has helped to move away from Kansas City. He is currently
living in Cuba where he has a job, and is active with a church and a
narcotics anonymous group.

What Meth does

Meth is a highly-addictive stimulant drug chemically related to
amphetamine but with stronger effects on the central nervous system. A
meth-induced high boosts self confidence as Blair described, but causes
hyperactivity, irritability, aggression, paranoia, depression, malnutrition,
as well as physical health problems such as shortness of breath and
increased blood pressure.

The coordinator of the task force, Sgt. Wade Stuart said he is amazed
that the people doing meth don't see the progression of their physical
appearance and see that it is killing them.

"It wreaks incredible devastation on people," he said.

The drug is appealing because it increases the body's metabolism, and
creates feelings of euphoria, alertness, and increased energy.

"I don't know why they tried it the first time, but after that they are
addicted," Farmington Detective Tim Porter said. "... If they could use it
and quit, obviously we wouldn't have the problems that we do. Most
people can't just do meth one time."

According to a meth addiction treatment drug rehab center's web site,
the cycle of using meth includes rush, high, binge, tweaking, crash,
normal and withdrawal. High-intensity users often focus on preventing
the crash.

The rush, which lasts five to 30 minutes, is when the user's heartbeat
races and their metabolism, blood pressure and pulse soar.

The high lasts 4 to 16 hours and is when the user feels aggressively
smarter. Binge is where users try to maintain the high for three to 15
days and become hyperactive.

Tweaking is said to be the most dangerous stage of use. A tweaker is a
meth addict who has not slept in days or weeks, and is irritable and
paranoid and has unpredictable behavior. A tweaker can appear normal
at first glance but the person's eyes may move about 10 times faster,
they may have a slight quiver in their voice and may have jerky
movements.

The crash lasts one to three days. It is when the abuser becomes
lethargic and can sleep for several hours or even days at a time.
Following the crash, the abuser returns to a normal state that is slightly
deteriorated.

Withdrawal can last from 30 to 90 days and includes depression, lack of
energy and cravings for meth.

Treatment

Rick Haas, a drug abuse counselor for Southeast Missouri Community
Treatment Center, describes meth as a double-edged drug. SEMO CTC is
a not-for-profit organization and a Missouri Medicaid provider that
provides residential and out-patient services in many parts of the state.

"(Meth) seems to work so damn well and unfortunately it really doesn't,"
he said.

The clients are there because they have hit rock bottom or a family
member, friend or employer has told them to get help "or else."

According to the Associated Press, nationwide, the admission rate for
treatment of meth addiction has increased from 28,000 in 1993 to
136,000 in 2003.

Dan Adams said they are seeing that fewer and fewer of their clients are
just alcoholics. About half abuse alcohol and some other drug.

"If someone comes in with a cocaine addiction, we tell them they can't
drink either," Adams said. "If they drink, their whole resistance is going
to drop and they are more likely to do a line of coke with someone."

Detoxification is only the first step for treating meth addiction.

Treatment for meth is based in large part on the 12-Step program for
alcohol with the first step admitting they are powerless over their dug
and that their lives have become unmanageable.

The center bases the level of treatment on the severity of the addiction
and how those circumstances are keeping them from being a productive
member of society. Inpatient treatment can take up to 30 days

The center develops a treatment plan for each individual. The plan
focuses on the client's strengths and works from there. The client must
do chores, participate in group activities and work with a counselor on
their goals.

"The goal is to provide a lot of structure," Adams said.

It teaches them how to do normal activities without drugs - how to
redevelop basic life skills such as eating, sleeping and taking care of
their mental and physical health.

Adams said while they are in the treatment center, they may gain 10
pounds because they haven't been taking care of themselves.

In educational groups at the center, they learn what doing these drugs
does to their bodies, how it affects their personality and how it affects
their children and the people around them.

They talk about the circumstances in their lives that are keeping them
from being productive citizens. Raymond Fabing, a licensed professional
counselor at SEMO CTC, said many of their patients have emotional and
psychological issues in addition to their drug problem.

Loretta Hannah, a support worker at SEMO CTC, helps the patients take
care of their basic needs and prepare for life outside of the center. For
some, the only thing they own is the clothing on their back when they
walked in. She helps them get government aid, makes them doctor's
appointments, and helps them find housing or a shelter, clothing and a
job.

Statistics show that treatment that is 30 days or longer is the most
effective.

"The longer they stay, the more likely they are to succeed," Adams said.
At SEMO CTC, the success rate is about 60 percent.

"And motivation for treatment plays a lot in success," added Charles
Sutton, site director of SEMO CTC's Aquinas center. He added relapse is
part of the nature of the disease. It isn't uncommon to see the same
people return.

After they leave the center, clients come into the office for outpatient
counseling 10 to 12 hours a week. They attend support group or
religious-based meetings.

The next phase of outpatient treatment focuses on relapse prevention.
They visit the office once a week or once a month.

Forced rehab

The Southeast Missouri Community Treatment Center and the St. Francois
County jail have one thing in common. Drugs addicts who enter will have
to learn to live without their drug of choice.

"(Jail is) forced rehab," said Rod Harris, the nurse at the county jail.

Harris said those who are going through withdrawal are placed in
observation.

"We have a camera on them all the time until they get settled," he said.
"There's not a lot we can do for them until it's out of their system."

Harris said the meth addicts lose their high happy state and become
severely agitated. He treats their symptoms, which depend on how long
they have been using.

Unfortunately, Sheriff Dan Bullock said most of the meth addicts end up
bonding out. Often, they get out and are arrested again for drugs or for
stealing items to get drugs. Bullock said most of the crime committed is
connected to drugs.

Bullock said when they come to the jail, most of the meth addicts sleep
for days.

Harris said often, these people come in emaciated because they had no
desire to eat while they were using. Meth use has caused their teeth to
rot. Harris sees a lot of "meth mites" which are skin sores all over their
body that they often pick at, causing infection.

Bullock said getting these people the medical treatment they need such
as antibiotics for infections and dental care costs the county a lot of
money.

Harris said one man suffered severe chemical burns to his hands after
trying to steal anhydrous ammonia. When he was arrested, the jail was
responsible for getting him medical care and changing his bandages.

Death

Vickie Montgomery, a paramedic and the bioterrorism coordinator for
Mineral Area Regional Medical Center (MARMC), said while some meth
users do come in for referrals to a treatment program for their
addiction, most come in for medical problems and don't tell them they
use meth.

"They don't tell us," she said. "We have to figure it out through
(toxicology) screens."

Montgomery said the hospital has treated meth users who came in with
rapid irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, or suffering cardiac
arrest.

Individuals also come in asking for pain medication for their teeth that
are rotting. Some come in with infected skins sores or badly cracked
fingers from preparing the meth precursors.

They've seen others who have been brought in for having convulsions,
hallucinations and other psychotic episodes. She said meth is known to
decrease the level of Dopamine in the brain, which mimics Parkinson's
Disease-like symptoms.

Montgomery said meth does increase the chance of premature birth or
miscarriage for pregnant women. She said it can constrict blood to the
placenta.

She said like with other drugs, the baby is born addicted to meth and is
likely to have an array of medical problems.

She said after the mothers deliver, the babies sleep frequently and won't
wake up for a feeding. She said they are very jittery and have a shrill
cry.

Dr. Russell Deidiker, a pathologist at MARMC, said three or four years ago
he was seeing 10 to 12 people dying each year of a meth overdose. That
number has decreased for some reason, he said.

He said meth can play a role in death in a lot of ways. He said he has
seen meth present, but not in lethal levels, in individuals who have died
in vehicle accidents, been murdered, or have died from another drug
overdose. Meth can also play a factor in aggravating a heart attack.
May 30, 2006 - 11:13:56 CDT




"It's the children who are suffering"
Homes with meth labs usually filled with more trash than food

Teresa Ressel / Daily Journal Bruce Momot, narcotics investigator for the
St. Francois County Sheriff's Department, dismantled a meth lab that was
found last year in a trailer. Children had been living in this trailer.
Editor's Note: This is the third in a five-part series dealing with the
growing number of meth labs and meth use in the county. On Thursday,
read a grandmother's heartbreaking story of her struggle to save her
three young grandchildren.

By TERESA RESSEL\Daily Journal Staff Writer

Removing children from a home where meth is made isn't the worst
thing that can happen to them, according to Sgt. Wade Stuart,
coordinator of the Mineral Area Drug Task Force.

Stuart said children living in and around meth labs are exposed to
dangerous chemicals and sometimes, unsanitary living conditions.

Starting fluid, paint thinner, anhydrous ammonia, matches, battery acid -
are just some of the items used in the production of meth that might be
laying around.

Most homes the local officers encounter are filled with more trash than
anything usable or edible. According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement
Administration (DEA), every pound of meth can yield up to five pounds
of toxic waste.

Some homes local police investigate have no running water. Five gallon
buckets are used for human waste.

Stuart has seen dirty pots, pans and cooking utensils scattered around the
kitchen near the items used to make meth. He's seen jack-o-lanterns
molding in the summer from the Halloween the year before. There's
trash scattered around the living areas.

"These are obviously people who don't care about anything but the drug
they are doing," he said.

This year, a member of the task force and sheriff's department deputies,
dismantled a large meth lab. The conditions in the trailer where they
found the lab were not as bad as some of the conditions Stuart has seen.

There were trash bags scattered throughout the entire house but mostly
the bags were piled up in a back room behind a bedroom that a
4-year-old child apparently shared with her mother.

The trash bags contained empty pseudoephedrine boxes, empty
containers of camping fuel, matches without tips, drain cleaner, Heet
gas-line anti-freeze and water remover, iodine, and iodine-stained paper
towels and plastic gallon jugs. These products were all used in the
production of meth.

Next to the room of trash was the room where police believe meth was
cooked. There were various chemicals in jars on the table.

They did have running water. There were mason jars and a pill crusher
used to crush pseudoephedrine in the kitchen sink. On the kitchen
counter, there were the typical things you might find such as a toaster, a
large container of dish-washing detergent, tomatoes, and candles. In
addition, there was a container of matches - the source of the needed
red phosphorous, and a small coffee pot that was being used to soak
meth ingredients.

Various items like tools were piled up in a family room. A deputy said he
believed these were items that were stolen and/or traded for meth.

Stuart said it is a very violent and dangerous culture. Meth users, who
haven't had sleep in several days or weeks, are the most dangerous and
most paranoid. Often, officers find that the people they arrest have guns
near the lab.

Police didn't find guns here. Then again, no one was there. The residents
had been caught by their landlord and knew police were coming so they
ran after attempting to get rid of some of the evidence.

While no guns were found, police did find a surveillance camera hidden
in a bird feeder outside the back door. Inside the back room where
meth was being cooked, there was a computer monitor so the meth
cooks could keep an eye on who was walking up to their trailer.

Detective Tim Porter of the Farmington Police Department said his fear
is as it gets harder and harder to get the stuff to make meth, meth cooks
will be more protective of their product. He's also afraid organizational
crime units from Mexico will become the big suppliers of meth here.

There was one time in the past year that suspects set a barn on fire
while police were investigating a meth lab there, Stuart said. No one
was hurt.

"I think we have been pretty fortunate that we haven't had any more
problems than we have had or any tragic results from enforcement,"
Stuart said.

Exposure to Chemicals

Brief exposure to the chemicals in meth labs has caused police officers
and children's service workers to have short-term breathing problems
and skin irritations.

"I can't imagine a kid living like that in a home for five years isn't going
to be affected," Stuart said.

According to the Missouri Department of Social Services, in fiscal year
2004, 1,594 children were removed because of drug-related incidents
that involved any drug, not just meth.

The local Children's Division or DFS office in Park Hills, which has 12
investigators to cover the four-county area, may get as many as two or
three child abuse/neglect reports a week related to meth. Then they
may not get any reports for three or four weeks. A complaint about
unsanitary living conditions or a child missing school could turn out to be
related to the parent's drug use.

Nichola South and Nancy Weiss, Social Service supervisors for the local
office, said they see parents so involved in drugs that they are not
fulfilling their parental responsibilities. Many children are missing school
because their parents are not taking them.

South said like meth users, the children who are living in conditions
where meth is being used or manufactured experience behavioral
changes. South said as a result of being exposed to the environment in
the house and not having supervision, the children often "act out" and
don't pay attention in class.

She said chronic exposure to the chemicals are believed to cause
children some of the same effects as the users such as hair loss, brain
damage and learning disabilities, aggression, dental problems, weight
loss, and hyperactivity.

Sheriff Dan Bullock said the chemicals seem to attack the mucus
membranes in the body and it burns the skin.

"It can't be good for you," he said. "There's bound to be some long-term
effects."

Much of the meth labs are found in the rural parts of the county. Porter
remembers working with the task force and coming across a family,
which included a 4-year-old girl and an infant child, living in a camping
trailer inside a pole barn. The adults were cooking meth in the pole
barn.

"The conditions were deplorable," he said.

Porter said it pulls on his heart each time he sees evidence of children
being in a residence where a meth lab had been operating. Things like
Pedialyte bottles converted into funnels, and car seats and diaper bags
next to mason jars full of ether bother him because he knows those
children have been exposed to chemicals.

On top of that, Porter said he's seen many of these places littered with
pornographic material that is out in the open.

Weiss said it seems like calls where children are being found in meth labs
have decreased since Missouri's pseudoephedrine pill legislation went
into effect in July. Although, they are not sure why, they also believe
people are moving their meth labs out of their homes.

"Maybe they are getting a little smarter and not having their children
around," she said.

Children don't have to be living in a meth lab to be affected.

In a recent meth bust, Washington County authorities arrested a Cadet
couple after the woman gave birth to a baby who tested positive for
meth. The baby and the couple's other two children were taken into DFS
custody.

Officers raided the Washington County property. They say chemicals and
paraphernalia used to manufacture meth were found in the couple's shed
while meth and marijuana were found in their bedroom.

Police say the woman told them her husband had been manufacturing for
about a year and she had been using for several years.

Whether or not Children's Division may remove a child from a home
depends on the age of the child and to what extent the parent's drug use
is having an adverse affect on the children.

When an indication of a operating meth lab is found, police assume
custody of the children. From there, Children's Division first tries to find
a family member - without an abuse or neglect background - who the
child can stay with. If a family member can not be found, the child is
placed in foster care.

Children's Division officials said if it looks like the parent is using meth,
they have to have evidence. If there is evidence of use, but not of
manufacturing, Children's Division asks the parent to voluntarily place the
children with a family member while the parent seeks treatment and the
household is cleaned up.

Weiss said if a parent's mental state from drug use is so bad that they
can't even carry on a conversation, there is definitely a concern that the
parent can not ensure the safety of their children, let alone remember
where the children are and whether they have eaten.

Weiss said the first step then is to try to get a family member who can
care for the children. If that can not be done, Children's Division will
meet with law enforcement to decide whether the children need to be
placed into foster care.

South said every situation is different so there are no set rules. They are
taken up on a case-by-case basis. "We assess every situation individually,"
she said.

Social workers usually do not go to homes alone if they believe the call
has to do with a parent's meth use. Police and Children's Division work
very closely together.

"We don't go out there without (police) if there is any indication of
meth," South said.

Social workers worry about exposure and re-exposure to their own
families. Take three showers and throw away the clothes you wore -
that's their own general rule following exposure to chemicals.

South said meth use poses a safety issue to the community as far as the
dangers of explosions, re-exposure, mental health issues, and crimes that
are committed to get money for drugs. South said any agency that has
people going into homes needs training on how to identify meth use and
meth labs.

Prosecuting Attorney Wendy Wexler Horn said children are greatly
affected by the drug problem in the county.

"A lot of cases I see go hand in hand with Children's Division," she said.

It is not uncommon for her to file felony first-degree child endangerment
charges for caretakers who had children present with they sold or
manufactured meth.

Looking for Some Solutions

South and Washington County Prosecuting Attorney John Rupp are both
so concerned about the unknowns of meth that together they are
working to draft state legislation to prevent third parties from getting
sick from what is left behind by meth labs. The legislation would require
properties, including hotel rooms and rental property, that have been
busted for meth labs to be cleaned up.

Rupp said he was hoping to get legislation drafted for this legislation
session but doesn't believe that will happen. He said at least one local
legislator has expressed interest in sponsoring the bill.

There's problems to consider. Who will pay for it? Who will be in charge
of making sure it is cleaned up? How much will this cost the state?

Those questions are still being considered but Rupp said the health
department could be put in charge of making sure the properties are
cleaned up properly.

Rupp said meth is a significant problem in his county, where 23 meth lab
incidents were reported last year. He said nobody, as of yet, seems to
have a good understanding of the long-term effects of meth on children
and the innocent people who have been exposed to it.

Circuit Court Judge Sandra Martinez is a member of the newly-formed
Children in Meth Labs steering committee and its legal working
committee. The goal of the committee is to come up with uniform
protocols/recommendations for when a child is found in an operating
meth lab.

Things they are considering include when authorities should call
Children's Division, when to take the children to the hospital, what tests
need to be done, and whether the children should be able to take any of
their clothing when the clothing at their home is potentially
contaminated.

The protocols will also give law enforcement officers an idea of what to
look for when they are assisting with the prosecution of meth lab
operators. She said tests have been done that have found residue on
children's skin, toys, car seats and their clothing.

Judge Martinez is hoping they will have the recommendations made to
the steering committee this month.
May 31, 2006 - 12:22:46 CDT




"Desloge police uncover working meth lab"
Officers who responded to 911 arrest five adults, turn children over to
DFS
By CHRIS CLINE\Daily Journal Staff Writer
DESLOGE - After responding to a 911 call Thursday evening, the Desloge
Police Department uncovered a working methamphetamine lab on N.
Grant Street in Desloge.

"Officer John Upchurch and Sgt. Eric Bennet responded to the 911 call,"
said Desloge Police Chief James Bullock. "When they arrived they
knocked on the door and no one answered. They could see people inside
the home through the windows. They continued to knock on the door
and finally a female subject answered the door."

Bullock said the woman appeared to be extremely nervous.

"The officers asked if there was anyone else in the home," Bullock said.
"The woman said that her children and her were the only people inside
the home. The officers asked if they could check inside to see if
everything was all right. She consented to the search."

Bullock said when the officers searched the home, they found four other
adults hiding in separate rooms.

"In addition to the adults there were also three kids inside the home,"
Bullock said. "While searching the home the officers discovered a
working methamphetamine lab in plain view."

Bullock said his officers found camping fuel, muriatic acid, Red Devil lye,
a bottle of Heet, coffee filters, a significant amount of match books with
the strikers removed and a clear plastic bag with a powdery substance
inside it.

"Five people were arrested," Bullock said. "A 22-year-old Desloge man, a
21-year-old Desloge woman, a 27-year-old Farmington woman, a
20-year-old Farmington woman and a 25-year-old Desloge man were all
arrested and were taken to the St. Francois County Jail. They are looking
at charges ranging from distributing, delivery and manufacturing of a
controlled substance to child endangerment."

Bullock said the St. Francois County Sheriff's Department MOSMART
officer was called to the scene to break down the lab.

"We also contacted the Division of Family Services for the children that
were inside the home," Bullock said. "The Division of Family Services
released the children to a relative."
Jun 16, 2006 - 13:08:54 CD



"911 call leads to discovery of meth lab"
STE. GENEVIEVE - A 911 hang up call on Saturday led to the discovery of
a methamphetamine lab at a motel in Ozora. Deputies went to the motel
after the 911 hang up call. According to the Ste. Genevieve Sheriff's
Department, deputies routinely respond to 911 hang ups to make sure all
is well. During this incident an alert deputy noticed in plain view several
items on the floor and in the room associated with the making of
methamphetamine, better known as meth precursors.

Deputies suspected that the couple occupying the motel room was
involved in illegal drug activity. Deputies conducted a consent search
and located numerous items associated with illegal drug activity along
with marijuana and methamphetamine precursors. All of the suspected
controlled substances and drug paraphernalia were seized as evidence.

Joann Wilcox, 35, Ste. Genevieve, and Christopher Grass, 26, St. Mary
were both arrested and have been charged in relation to the incident.
Wilcox is being held at the Ste. Genevieve County Jail on a $50,000
bond while Grass is being held on a $100,000 bond.
Jul 25, 2006 - 11:02:40 CDT

Tip leads to meth lab, arrests
County deputies arrest tow, seek warrant on another
By CHRIS CLINE\Daily Journal Staff Writer
LAKE LACAWANA - A tip that was received during a recent pill diversion
led to a methamphetamine bust Monday evening in Lake Lacawana.
According to St. Francois County Sheriff Dan Bullock, the bust was
conducted by the Mineral Area Drug Task Force and the sheriff's
department.

"During one of our pill diversions we received some information that
there was a methamphetamine lab at a residence at Lake Lacawana,"
Bullock said. "When authorities got on the scene on Monday, the lab was
not in operation at the time. However, all of the precursors used in
making methamphetamine were at the scene."

Bullock said two men and a women were at the residence when police
arrived.

"One of the men along with the women were arrested on the spot and
were taken to the St. Francois County Jail," Bullock said. "We are
currently seeking a warrant for the second man."

Bullock said a pill diversion is when law enforcement watches for people
buying excessive amounts of pseudophedrine at various locations where
pseudophedrine is sold.

"We conduct these pill diversions whenever we have the extra time,"
Bullock said. "We acquire a lot of information through these stakeouts
about who is purchasing large amounts of pseudophedrine. We may not
make an arrest that day, but we compile all of the information and that
helps us later down the road."
Aug 17, 2006 - 11:54:05 CDT



"Sheriff's department receives funding to combat drugs"
Bullock says they will receives some MoSMART funding this year
By CHRIS CLINE\Daily Journal Staff Writer

Teresa Ressel / Daily Journal File Photo St. Francois County Sheriff Dan
Bullock looks over some of the materials from a methamphetamine lab.
His department will be getting federal funds in 2007 to fight meth
production.

FARMINGTON - In 2007 the St. Francois County Sheriff's Department will
receive some of its Missouri Sheriffs' Methamphetamine Relief Task
Force (MoSMART) funding back to help combat the production and
trafficking of methamphetamine. The department started receiving
funds through the MoSMART program in 2004, but that ended in 2006
when cuts were made to the funding.

"The original funding paid for an officer, equipment, training, and even a
vehicle for the MoSMART officer," said St. Francois County Sheriff Dan
Bullock. "In 2005 funding was cut to paying for just the salary of the
MoSMART officer. In 2006 the sheriff's department picked up paying for
the MoSMART officer entirely. Now we are going to get enough money to
pay for the officer's salary in 2007."

The department hired Bruce Momot to serve as the St. Francois County
MoSMART officer in January of 2004 when the program first went into
effect.

Under the terms of the program, a MoSMART-funded officer can be
assigned only to cases involving the manufacturing, distribution or
possession of methamphetamine. While they can share information
related to other criminal activities, their entire focus must be on
meth-related crimes.

Rather than let Momot go in 2006, Bullock said the sheriff's department
picked up the tab for his services.

"Now at least we will get grant money to pay for him," Bullock said. "By
getting the additional funding it will allow us to have another position to
fight methamphetamine. It's a huge problem here and throughout
Southeast Missouri."

Bullock said the MoSMART funding is renewable each year.

"We put in for it this year and got approved at a reduced rate which is
better than what we got last year," Bullock said.

The MoSMART program is federally funded.
Jan 04, 2007 - 11:00:51 CST



"Police discover two meth labs"
Farmington officers receive tip about suspicious activity
By TERESA RESSEL\Daily Journal Staff Writer
FARMINGTON - A tip about suspicious activity at a Farmington residence
led to the discovery of not one, but two meth labs.

Farmington Police Chief Rick Baker said officers went to the residence
on Trimfoot about 10 a.m. Thursday after a motorist reported seeing two
men and a woman outside a residence and one climbing through the
window. The motorist, who believed someone was breaking into a
house, told police when he drove around the block and came back, no
one was there.

Sgt. Jeff Crites said officers went to the residence to speak to the
occupants about their suspicious activity but no one answered. He said
the officers smelled a strong chemical odor and contacted the Mineral
Area Drug Task Force. The officers entered the residence for the "public
safety" of the neighbors nearby and to make sure no one was inside. He
said they found the house empty but containing items used in the
production of meth.

Crites said the task force applied for a search warrant and then took
custody of the meth lab.

He said they later found and arrested the two male occupants of that
home at another residence outside Farmington.

"A second meth lab was seized at the residence where they were at,"
Crites said.

He said the men were questioned and released, pending the filing of
formal charges.

Baker said police had previously been at the house on Trimfoot to
question the occupants about possible drug activity but no one answered.
Jan 08, 2007 - 10:41:25 CST



"Judge revokes probation, orders drug treatment problem"
Bales could be sentenced to prison for new violations, failure to
complete program
By TERESA RESSEL\Daily Journal Staff Writer
FARMINGTON - A teenager who violated the probation he received for
his role in a convenience store robbery will have another chance to get
out of serving a prison sentence.

On Friday, the day after his 19th birthday, Circuit Court Judge Sandy
Martinez revoked Adam L. Bales' probation and ordered him to complete
a 120-day drug treatment program. If he successfully completes the
program, he will be released on five years of supervised probation. If he
fails to complete the program or violates his new probation, he will be
sentenced to seven years in prison.

According to court records, Bales, Trent Melcher and Marcus Terry drove
from St. Ann to Farmington in a stolen vehicle March 13, 2005. They
stopped at the Convenience Barn on Route W near U.S. 67 for fuel.

Terry reportedly came up to the counter and displayed a knife and
pointed it at the clerk while Bales grabbed the money. They were seen
getting into a minivan driven by Melcher.

Police were called immediately after the teens left the store. A check of
the license number showed the car had been stolen from the city of St.
Ann that weekend.

Eight minutes after the robbery occurred, Bonne Terre Officer Alex
Shibley spotted the minivan near Old Orchard Road and pulled it over.

All three occupants in the vehicle were taken into custody without
incident. Nearly all the cash taken in the convenience store robbery was
recovered in the vehicle. The knife believed to have been used in the
robbery also was found in the vehicle.

The clerk was able to identify Bales and Terry as the teens who
committed the robbery.

In October of 2005, Bales pleaded guilty to a charge of tampering with a
motor vehicle. The other two teens have also been placed on five years
of probation.

Five other individuals were placed on five years of supervised probation
on Friday. They were Terry Allen Jones, 31, of Bonne Terre, for
tampering; Sarah Major, of Park Hills, for sale of marijuana; Christina
Shikles, 36, of Cedar Hill, for possession of meth; and Steven Bridgeman,
32, of Farmington, for driving while intoxicated.

In addition, Garry W. Triplett, 20, of Bismarck, was placed on five years
of supervised probation and fined $250 for felony possession of a
chemical with intent to create a controlled substance and misdemeanor
possession of marijuana.
Jan 08, 2007 - 10:41:27 CST


"Jury finds Todd guilty on drug charges"
Richwoods man could be sentenced to life in prison
POTOSI - A Richwoods man could be sentenced to life in prison after a
Washington County jury found him guilty of several drug-related charges.

The jury found Jimmy L. Todd, 48, formerly of Arkansas, guilty of six
counts of possession of a chemical with intent to create a controlled
substance, possession of meth, and possession of drug paraphernalia. He
was charged as a prior and persistent drug offender, which enhances the
maximum sentence.

Washington County Prosecuting Attorney John Rupp said on Jan. 5, jurors
heard evidence and arguments about the case until 10 p.m. They
deliberated for only a half hour before finding him guilty of all the
charges.

Rupp said Todd had been caught purchasing meth precursors in Carter
County and was charged there. He said Todd failed to appear for a court
hearing related to that case. Carter County officials, after learning he
was living in Richwoods, contacted the Mineral Area Drug Task Force to
arrest the man on a warrant.

Rupp said the officers went into Todd's residence and found an inactive
meth lab with most of the ingredients needed to make meth.

"I'm very happy with the jury's verdict," Rupp said.

Todd could be sentenced to life in prison on the possession of meth
charge. Each possession of a chemical charge carries a sentence of up to
15 years while the precursor charge carries a sentence of up to seven
years.

Rupp said he will probably recommend a life sentence on the meth
charge. Todd is scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 26.
Jan 15, 2007 - 11:23:55 CST



"Landlord leads police to meth lab"
By CHRIS CLINE\Daily Journal Staff Writer
IRON MOUNTAIN LAKE - A suspicious landlord led to the discovery
Saturday of what authorities believe was a working methamphetamine
lab. Iron Mountain Lake Police Chief Jerry Hicks said the landlord noticed
that the door on the home was barricaded from the inside and that a
couple of windows were missing in the back.

"I went with him to his property on Ferguson Drive and found three
windows taken out of the rear of the home, not busted but carefully
removed," Hicks said. "The owner and I went back to the front door and
forced our way inside. The house was ransacked, as if someone had been
living there without permission. I carefully checked out the house and
found the leftovers from a methamphetamine lab in the living room. It
appeared that the lab could have been active within the past couple of
weeks due to some dated material that was left at the scene."

Hicks said he photographed the scene and took some items into
evidence.

"After doing some investigating I received a few names of possible
suspects," Hicks said. "In Iron Mountain Lake we do have a problem with
individuals breaking into vacant houses. I encourage all property owners
to check on their properties regularly."
Feb 14, 2007 - 09:52:30 CST

"Students take proactive stand against meth"
Eighth graders work Web site for year-long project
By PAULA BARR\Daily Journal Staff Writer

Paula Barr / Daily Journal Eighth-grade students at St. Paul Lutheran
School interview State Rep. Steve Tilley, R-Perryville, for their
CyberFair project.
Eighth graders at St. Paul Lutheran School in Farmington are doing their
part to prevent drug abuse through education and to help keep peers
drug-free.

The students are working on a year-long project - called Students Against
Methamphetamine (S.A.M.) - on methamphetamine as part of this year's
International Schools CyberFair competition. The school's eighth-grade
computer class won a Gold Award for its community leaders project in
2005 and last year's eighth-grade class won a silver award for its project
on special populations.

This year's entry features a Web site on methamphetamine that includes
a Power Point presentation and videotaped interviews with various area
officials. The students also are including other classes by holding a poster
contest for grades 5-8 in Farmington schools. The contest runs until
Friday. Two winners will be chosen per grade level. (See side bar for
rules.)

During a recent interview with State Rep. Steven Tilley, the students
discussed drug legislation, legal consequences of drug abuse and crime
and punishment that frequently accompanies drug addiction.

Tilley told the class that in addition to tough laws, the country needs to
improve its border protection.

"We need to do a better job of securing the borders, not just for illegal
aliens, but to reduce criminal activity," Tilley said. "Our goal should be to
eliminate drug use."

Student Kohl Kellmans said they chose methamphetamine as their topic
at the beginning of the school year because they wanted to do
something about the problem.

"We knew it was an epidemic in Missouri that needs to be stopped," he
explained.

The students told Tilley some of what they have learned about the use of
methamphetamine.

"You stink when you use it!"

"You can smell it, even from outside. It's nasty!"

"I was in a house a long time after they stopped making meth and
cleaned it up. I could still smell it."

Tilley told a story about one of his classmates who died in a car accident
after an evening of drinking.

"It's not just meth. It's not just marijuana. It's also alcohol," he told the
class. "It's all the things you need to say 'no' to.

"I think what you guys are doing is great!"

Tilley thanked the class for including him in their project. Later, he
added, it's really great to hear questions from kids, because you get a
totally different perspective. Kids are still forming their opinions.
Sometimes adults have their minds made up and they're not willing to be
open-minded"

The interview was the third thus far for this year's entry.

The students also have interviewed Farmington Police Detective Tim
Porter and Corporal Sam Weekly.

The Web site ( http://www.stpaulgiants.com/sam.htm )is still being
developed. Currently it offers Power Point presentations that provide
statistics on methamphetamine usage, photos of users that depict the
degenerative effects on the body, and signs of methamphetamine use.
The presentations discuss the effect of methamphetamine on families
and the environment, and list the ingredients used to make the illegal
drug. One section points out the harm drug users and drug cookers do to
their children, and discusses treatment for methamphetamine addiction.

The Web site includes a video about the program and the poster contest.
Earlier in the year, the class held a contest to design a S.A.M. character
for their project. The character will be featured on posters and other
parts of the project.

Teacher Leanna Johnson said the students are not only learning about
methamphetamine, they are learning to speak out in the fight to end its
usage.

After learning about restrictions on some cold medicines that can be used
to make methamphetamine, one student shared her knowledge with a
gas store clerk, Johnson said.

"She saw a couple in a car with a young child. First, the man went in and
bought some pseudoephedrine," Johnson said the student told her. "A
few minutes after he came out, the women went in and bought another
package of pseudoephedrine"

The student went into the gas station and asked the clerk if he realized
what had just happened. Because the couple split up, they could buy
more medicine than they could have had they went inside together. She
also pointed out that there had been a child in the car who would be
endangered if the couple were meth cookers or dealers, Johnson added.

Although the eighth graders are doing most of the work for the
CyberFair project, participation from students in other classes and
schools is fundamental to their success, Johnson said.

"We really appreciate the collaboration with the other schools," she
explained. "That's one of the most important parts of this outreach - the
fact that everyone is working together and working proactively to
prevent meth use before it becomes a problem with their age group."
Feb 20, 2007 - 10:04:48 CST

Contest emphasizes dangers of meth
By PAULA BARR\Daily Journal Staff Writer
Farmington private and public school children in grades 5-8 are invited to
participate in a poster contest to emphasize the dangers of
methamphetamine and its effects on the family, environment or the
human body.

Posters must be turned in to a school official by Friday. The Students
Against Methamphetamine (S.A.M.) contest is open to students in
Farmington Middle School, Lincoln Intermediate Center, St. Joe or St.
Paul schools.

The poster board must be 18 inches by 24 inches in size and must include
the S.A.M. character. A digital S.A.M. character and information about
methamphetamine are available on the S.A.M. Web site
(http://www.stpaulgiants.com/sam.htm).

Entries will be evaluated for neat work, a clear message, vibrant colors,
emphasis of important works, and use of as much space as possible.

Two winners will be selected for each grade level. Creator of the best
poster from all grade levels will win a free S.A.M. T-shirt and a $50 cash
prize. That poster will be featured on the International CyberFair Web
site entry.
Feb 20, 2007 - 10:04:48 CST










"Sheriff believes battles in meth war are being won"
Statistics show county slips from third to fifth in meth lab incidents
By TERESA RESSEL\Daily Journal Staff Writer

Daily Journal file photo Members of the Mineral Area Task Force take
apart a meth lab in Park Hills in July 2006. The task force found fewer
meth labs in St. Francois County last year than they did in 2005.
St. Francois County Sheriff Dan Bullock feels that some battles have been
won in the county's fight against meth.

His feeling is supported by statistics released by the state that show St.
Francois County has slipped from third to fifth in the state for the
number of meth lab incidents.

In 2006, there were 59 meth lab incidents reported in St. Francois
County. The year before there were 121 incidents.

Jefferson County remained first with 211 incidents and St. Charles
County, second, with 121 incidents. Inching in ahead of St. Francois
County this year were St. Louis County with 95 and Franklin County with
69.

Bullock believes their number of seizures has dropped considerably due
to law enforcement's proactive approach and the pseudoephedrine law.

In June 2005, Missouri enacted legislation restricting materials used to
make meth. The federal government followed in April 2006 with even
stronger legislation - the Combat Meth Act, which was co-sponsored by
then-Sen. Jim Talent, R-Missouri.

"I don't think we've won the war," he said. "But I think we've won a few
battles."

Bullock said he is hearing that people are moving from here to other
parts of the state and to Illinois "because there is so much of an effort
here to keep meth off the streets."

Unfortunately, the drug problem, itself, is not going away. Bullock said
he is seeing an increase in prescription drug abuse, particularly
oxycontin. He cautions people to discard the pills they are not using. He
said younger people are taking them from their parents and grandparents
and are selling them for as much as a $10 to $12 a pill.

Lt. Kyle Marquart of the Missouri State Highway Patrol said the
pseudoephedrine laws have had a major effect in the battle against
meth labs. He said it is harder for meth cooks to get the only ingredient
in meth that can't be substituted for something else. He said at the same
time it is a great thing that they have not kept anyone from getting the
medicine they might need.

He said 1,200 meth lab incidents in the state is still too high and law
enforcement will continue to work on that. He said it would be a
reasonable idea to look into a prescription monitoring program, which
would not only monitor the sale of pseudoephedrine but other
prescription drug abuse.

The Mineral Area Drug Task Force, which focuses mainly in the Parkland
but also assists other agencies in the Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop
C area, reported 102 meth lab incidents in 2006 - the majority of them
being in St. Francois County.

Wade Stuart, director of the task force, said they are seeing fewer meth
labs and hopefully the numbers means that the law that went into effect
is working.

He believes there is still more that state officials can do to help police
and businesses work together in the battle against meth.

In 2006, the Mineral Area Drug Task Force investigated over 230 reports
of meth activity, and seized 26,400 grams of meth and 878 grams of
pseudoephedrine.

In addition, the Task Force seized 31 grams of cocaine; five grams of
crack cocaine, 160,958 grams of marijuana and 720 plants; 1,820 grams of
heroin, 2,950 units of Ecstacy; numerous firearms and $9,500 in currency.

Other parts of the state

While the number dropped by nearly half in St. Francois County, the
number of meth lab incidents increased in Washington County.

In 2005, there were 23 reported meth lab incidents and 30 in 2006, still
lower than the county's peak at 39 in both 2002 and 2003.

Again this year, there were no reports of meth lab seizures in Madison or
Perry counties. There were eight reported in Iron County and nine in
Ste. Genevieve County.

The majority of the meth lab seizures in the state were reported in the
Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop C area or St. Louis area.

In Missouri, there were 1,284 meth lab incidents, which was about 1,000
fewer than last year. The state peaked in 2003 at 2,860 meth lab
incidents.

Other counties across the state also had similar if not better successes. In
Jasper County, there were 118 reported meth lab incidents in 2005 but
only 38 in 2006. Pemiscot County dropped from 74 incidents in 2005 to 18
in 2006 while Greene County dropped from 84 to 20 incidents.

Bollinger County, however, increased from one in 2005 to 17 in 2006.
Cape Girardeau County totals also increased slightly.
Feb 24, 2007 - 20:19:19 CST

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"Meth Users Turning To Urine To Get High"
Heather Brown Reporting
(WCCO) When Wright County deputies opened up a smelly rented
storage locker last June, they had no idea what they would find. Inside a
man had stored 50 gallon jugs of urine.

"The officers that responded looked at it and said, 'yeah, that's odd,'"
said Wright County Narcotics Sgt. Becky Howell.

The deputies gave the go-ahead to the owners to throw out the urine.
When they did, they got sick.

A week and half later, that report hit Howell's desk.

"I said, 'Oh my gosh, this is a meth lab, this is a urine extraction lab,'"
Howell said.

It's a new way to get meth. Some people drink the meth-tainted urine
outright to get high. Others filter the drug back out through the cooking
process.

"I'm not 100 percent sure what this guy was doing," said Howell. "Five
years ago, I probably would have been surprised at that. But now,
knowing and understanding methamphetamine and an addict's addiction
to it, it doesn't surprise me."

It did surprise Jeremy Rezac. He's a recovering meth addict who used to
cook up to $20,000 worth of the drug a day. Back then, he said it was
easy to buy pseudoephedrine or ephedrine in the form of pills.

"A couple hundred bucks, send junkies, out to get your pills for you. A
couple of hours later you were ready to rock and roll," he said.

But all of that changed in the summer of 2005 when lawmakers passed
one of the toughest meth laws in the country. It added 10 new BCA
agents, dealt out new penalties for child endangerment and placed limits
on the amount of pseudoephedrine and ephedrine one person can buy in
a month. It also put those pills behind the pharmacy counter and made
everyone sign a log.

The state said that brought homegrown meth labs down by 70 percent.

"You can't find that product no more. You can't find it on the streets no
more. The government did what they needed to do," said Rezac. "It
takes a lot of time and money and I think the average meth user, meth
cook, they don't want the hassle anymore."

Howell said there's still a group that does deal with the hassle and has
quickly found a way around the law.

She's seen addicts travel in packs to different drug stores because they
know the pharmacies do not communicate with each other.

Of the big retail chains, only Walgreens and Target keep an internal
database to track pseudoephedrine pills purchases within their own
stores. None of chains share with their competitors.

"They know they can still go shopping for pills and go to the various
stores and obtain their packages. They can sign the ledger, prove their
ID and then they can move to the next store," Howell said.

She said her deputies don't have the time or resources to cross-check all
of the logs to match the addict with their purchase.

State Sen. Julie Rosen, R-Fairmont, wants that loophole to change.

"The meth law that was passed in 2005 was tremendous," she said, "but
now that drug scene has morphed. It's changing. Meth is morphing and
changing. We need to adapt and be quick on our feet also."

She's considering legislation that would track pseudoephedrine and
prescription drug purchases across different stores. Pharmacies would
enter a patient's personal information and their purchase into a central
database.

Only officers with a search warrant would have access to that
information.

Rosen would also like more money for treatment programs.

"I feel we are sitting back on our heels a little bit," Rosen said. "We are
saying OK, we did our job, our job has been done. We passed that great
bill and now we're good."

Rosen plans on working closely with the state's new meth coordinator.

In December Gov. Tim Pawlenty appointed Chuck Noerenberg to this
newly-created position.
His job is to figure out where the state stands on meth and where
Minnesota has to go.

"We have the foundation in place but we still have a very serious
problem in Minnesota," he said, pointing out that 80 percent of meth in
the state is imported from Mexico.

His initial priorities will focus on a new child-endangerment protocol and
assessing what types of treatment work best.

"Meth treatment is longer and more complex than other chemical
dependency treatment and that's something we need to have a better
understanding before we sink a lot of money into it," Noerenberg said.

While the state has made great progress in combating homegrown meth,
no one in government, law enforcement or even on the streets expects
the drug to go away soon.

"We still have a ways to go," said Howell.
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