Wharton woman arrested for operating meth lab

The Wyandot County Sheriff’s Office arrested a Wharton woman Tuesday for operating a methamphetamine lab at her home.

Defiance Conley, of Wharton, was taken to the Wyandot County Jail after the arrest, where she is being held on probation violation and drug charges, according to Sheriff Michael Hetzel.

The investigation began after the Wyandot County Sheriff’s Office was notified of a possible meth lab operating in Wharton. Detectives from Wyandot County, Hardin County and the METRICH Enforcement Unit began investigating and conducting surveillance on the residence at 108 N. Jefferson St.

At 4:35 p.m. Tuesday, a traffic stop was conducted on a vehicle near the intersection of Wyandot County 330 and Richland Township Highway 79, the sheriff reported. The driver of the vehicle was identified as Jamie Gay of Citra, Florida. Gay was taken into custody on felony warrants out of Florida for possession of methamphetamine. Materials to make meth were suspected to be in the vehicle.

The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation’s Clandestine Drug Unit was called to the scene and located materials and chemicals in the trunk of Gay’s car that were used to manufacture methamphetamine.

Detectives then went to the North Jefferson Street address and questioned the occupants, the sheriff’s report states. A working methamphetamine lab was discovered there. The METRICH Clandestine Drug Unit entered the residence and safely removed the laboratory.

Also assisting in the investigation and clean up of the hazardous materials were the Hardin County Crime Task Force, the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Wyandot County Prosecutor’s Office and the Wharton Fire Department.

Originally published in the Courier on July 17, 2014

 

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