Within the past week, two cases involving methamphetamine have gone to the Hillsdale County Circuit Court.
The first was the hearing of Lawrence McDonald, held on March 5.
McDonald was arrested on Dec. 18, 2011, in Allen Township after police traced a motel receipt back to him they had found in a discarded meth lab.
McDonald told the court he had discarded the lab after he, a woman named Jolene Green, and his dealer suspected they were being followed by an unmarked police car while driving out of Hillsdale.
“I thought it was just a vehicle and we were all paranoid,” McDonald said.
The dealer told him to discard the lab anyway, and McDonald threw it out the car’s window. The car turned out to not be police.
Police discovered the discarded lab a few days later. They found a motel receipt inside the bag and traced it back to McDonald.
“I wasn’t thinking very clearly,” he said, adding that he was high on meth at the time.
McDonald was arrested on Dec. 18.
“I figured what the heck, I might as well go to jail for the night,” he said. “I need to get off the drugs anyway.”
At a court hearing March 5, McDonald pleaded guilty to one count of operating and maintaining a lab involving methamphetamine, which could carry a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison and a $12,500 fine. Two other drug-related charges were dropped as part of McDonald’s plea deal.
Sentencing is set for April 9.
A trial was held for Edward Percy on Mar. 6. He pleaded not guilty.
Percy was arrested on Sept. 16, 2011, when a deputy from the sheriff’s department pulled Percy over due to an outstanding warrant for his arrest.
Percy, a resident of Hudson Township, was at a gas station on U.S. 127 near Hudson preparing to fill the tank of his motorcycle when he was arrested.
The arresting officer searched Percy’s person, finding a marijuana cigarette in his shirt pocket.
“I forgot about that,” said Percy of the marijuana cigarette.
The officer then searched Percy’s motorcycle as per protocol. A pill bottle filled with crumpled coffee filters, which are commonly used to make meth and then kept for the traces of the drug that remain, was found on the motorcycle along with a bag of marijuana. Percy claimed the coffee filters were to clean his glasses.
The officer then got two warrants, one to test Percy’s blood and one to search his apartment.
The tests showed traces of meth and THC in Percy’s blood.
In the apartment search, a marijuana cigarette and a Red Bull can containing meth were discovered.
Upon further search of the motorcycle in the sheriff’s department crime lab, meth and marijuana were both discovered.
Percy pleaded not guilty, the defense claiming the drugs were planted. Percy was found guilty on all charges and his sentencing is set for Apr. 16.
According to the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, there were 679 meth lab busts in Michigan in 2010 out of a total of 11,239 in the country.
In 2005, there were 341 meth labs busted in Michigan, eight of which were in Hillsdale County. In 2006 and 2007, 21 labs were found in the county.
Making meth is relatively simple, as the ingredients are found in over-the-counter drugs and the supplies needed can fit in a suitcase.
“The problem with the synthesis is that it is very dangerous – it releases toxic and flammable fumes, in addition it gives off a lot of heat so explosions are common,” said Christopher Hamilton, chemistry professor.
Manufacturing one pound of meth can create six pounds of toxic waste.
“[M]any of the regular style meth labs are going away since more meth users are making their own in a small setup, called ‘shake n’ bake,’” Hamilton said. ”All of the methods use pseudoephedrine or ephedrine, which is why they keep it behind the counter now.”
Crystal meth, the crystalline, smoke-able form of methamphetamine, sells for about five dollars for one tenth of a gram. It is one of the most commonly abused illegal drugs. said who???
While production may be getting simpler, the use of meth is on the decline.
According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, between 2006 and 2010, the number of monthly meth users decreased from 731,000 to 353,000. About 100,000 people started using meth in 2010 –– a significant drop from 157,000 in 2007 and 299,000 in 2002.
