Butler County Sheriff's Office

[Public Info Officer]

For Immediate Release… September 12, 2008

Meth Lab “Busted” in Wayne Township

Butler County Sheriff Richard K. Jones reports the arrest of two individuals after a Meth Lab was “busted” overnight in Wayne Township. Having developed information over the last couple of months, Sheriff’s Deputies and Drug and Vice Agents executed a search warrant around 2 a.m. today at 6920 Wayne’s Trace Road. They discovered a rather sophisticated meth lab inside a barn there, complete with a home-made ventilation system in “incubator style” where the operator could reach into a closed container through attached gloves to work with the dangerous product. Evidence also indicated that anhydrous ammonia (a key ingredient for the meth production process) was also being manufactured on-site.

Scott Atkinson, age 37, and Helen Stewart, age 34, both residing at the property, were arrested for felony drug charges of Possession of Drugs, Trafficking of Drugs charges, Manufacturing of Drugs, and Possession of Chemicals for the Manufacture of Drugs. They were taken to the Butler County Jail and are being held on bonds of $32,500 each.

Area fire departments and life squads were on stand-by status for several hours as the lab area and volatile ingredients were cleaned up. The Sheriff’s Office Emergency Services/ Bomb Unit also responded to the scene. The area was “cleared” around 9:15 this morning. In addition to the arrests, a Harley Davidson motorcycle and a Toyota vehicle were confiscated. The arrests and clean-up efforts were accomplished without incident or injury.

Prepared by: Sgt. Monte Mayer
Public Information Officer