Five arrested in connection with meth lab found in basement

Williamsburg police discovered an active methamphetamine lab while investigating a complaint late Wednesday evening, and arrested five people early Thursday morning.

About 11 p.m., Williamsburg Police Sgt. Mike Taylor, Capt. Eddie Cain and Officer Elijah Hunter went to a residence at 493 Highway 90 to investigate a complaint about a possible methamphetamine lab.

"Upon arrival at the residence, officers observed a cloud of gas vapors coming from a basement window. Officers secured the occupants of the residence and detained five individuals," Williamsburg Police Chief Wayne Bird wrote in a press release.

Officers received consent to search the residence from the home’s owner, Jason Lovett.

"Inside the home, officers discovered equipment and chemicals used to manufacture, including an active HCL generator located in the basement," Bird wrote.

The Laurel County Department of Public Safety removed the hazards from the residence.

"He said that he had just cooked it off about an hour before we arrived," Taylor wrote on Lovett’s arrest citation.

Lovett told police that the meth lab was his, and that it didn’t belong to his girlfriend, who also resided at the residence, Taylor wrote on another arrest citation.

All five individuals were arrested at the scene and lodged in the Whitley County Detention Center.

Those charged include:

¥ Jason Lovett, 33, of 493 Highway 90 – first-offense manufacture of methamphetamine and unlawful possession of meth precursors.

¥ Samantha J. Petrey, 21, of 493 Highway 90 – first-offense complicity to manufacture methamphetamine and failure to appear.

¥ Brent A. Stevens, 21, of 340 Highway 26 – first-offense complicity to manufacture methamphetamine and public intoxication.

¥ David L. Strickland, 21, of 421 Marvin Brooks Road – first-offense complicity to manufacture methamphetamine, public intoxication, possession of drug paraphernalia, and unlawful possession of meth precursors.

¥ Charles David King, 41, of 1725 Brays Chapel Road – first-offense complicity to manufacture methamphetamine.
All five pleaded not guilty Thursday afternoon during their arraignments before District Judge Fred White.

White declined to lower the $25,000 fully secured bonds for each defendant. All five defendants are required to wear ankle-monitoring bracelets if released from custody.

White also scheduled Sept. 26 preliminary hearings in each of their cases, and appointed the public advocate’s office to represent each defendant.