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Arrests lead to meth lab in Benton |
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Thursday, 09 April 2009 |
Three Saline County residents arrested on Monday by Benton police led to the Saline County Sheriff’s Office’s ninth methamphetamine lab bust of 2009, authorities said.
Melissa Ellen Parker, 29, of Haskell; John Pipkin, 50, of Benton; and Boyce Williams, 35, of Traskwood were first taken into custody by Benton police just before 2 a.m. Monday. Reportedly, Officer Clayton Bloch received a call of suspicious activity at the Benton Walmart after the three left with items that suggested possible production of methamphetamine.
Bloch said a traffic stop was made near Pipkin’s home in the 900 block of West Sevier Street. Police determined that Parker was named in warrants issued by multiple law-enforcement agencies. Bloch said assorted drug paraphernalia was found in the vehicle.
All of the three were charged with felony possession of drug paraphernalia with intent to manufacture and Pipkin also was charged with felony possession of paraphernalia.
According to Sgt. Kevin Russell, the police department’s public information officer, narcotics detectives from the sheriff’s office took over the case and eight hours later Pipkin and Parker were facing more charges.
“Eight hours after their arrests, detectives went to the home of Pipkin,” Lt. Mike Frost of the sheriff’s office said. “While trying to make contact with someone on the property, detectives found a shed with the door open. From the outside they could see numerous items used to manufacture methamphetamine.”
After obtaining a search warrant, detectives found muriatic acid, drain cleaner, plastic tubing, glassware, hot plates and other items commonly used to manufacture methamphetamine. Because of the search, additional felony charges of possession of drug paraphernalia with intent to manufacture and possession of drug paraphernalia were filed.
“This isn’t double jeopardy, because these are two separate incidents and two separate times [illegal] items were found” Frost explained.
This was not the only time the sheriff’s office has dealt with Parker on similar charges, Frost said. Haskell Sgt. Brandon Carter reportedly stopped Parker for a failure to appear warrant on Jan. 31 with assistance from Benton Officer Brian Bigelow. Bigelow deployed a narcotic detector dog to search the vehicle and found numerous illegal items. A plastic bag containing 3.26 grams of suspected marijuana was found in the console, a suspected marijuana cigarette was found under the driver’s seat and a pouch containing used syringes and a homemade aluminum foil pipe was found on the front passenger seat, according to the report.
A search of the vehicle’s trunk reportedly revealed two large glass jars containing a liquid with crystals forming in the bottom. A duffel bag found held several syringes and numerous items “consistent with manufacturing methamphetamine,” the report said.
Parker was taken into custody and charged with felony second-offense possession of a controlled substance (marijuana), felony possession of drug paraphernalia and felony manufacturing methamphetamine. On Feb. 2, Parker posted a $10,000 bond.
On Wednesday, Pipkin, Williams and Parker appeared in Benton District court. Judge Mike Robinson set a $5,000 bond for Williams, a $10,000 bond for Pipkin and a $25,000 bond for Parker.
Pipkin and Parker are scheduled to appear before Robinson again on May 19.
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