Three arrested after police discover 10 meth labs in Corbin hotel room

Three Corbin residents are behind bars and police are seeking a fourth person after discovering 10 one-step meth labs in a Corbin motel room early Saturday morning.

Whitley County Sheriff Colan Harrell said that shortly after midnight, officers discovered the meth labs, one of which was working at the time, in a room at Mountain View Lodge in Corbin.

Deputy Shawn Jackson had been investigating the case for a few days, and early Saturday morning followed up on leads and discovered the meth lab.

No one was injured during the incident.

Jackson had motel officials clear the section of the motel where the meth labs were discovered as quickly as possible after the labs were discovered, Harrell said.

Meth labs are extremely dangerous and volatile. Many are discovered after they blow up.

"I think Shawn did a wonder job on this thing," Harrell added.

Abbey Hale with the Laurel County Department of Public Safety cleaned up the meth lab.

Harrell said meth addicts aren’t picky on where the cook meth.

"They use just any place they can find to set one up, a vehicle, a closet, a room, just any place they can set one up," he added.

Deputies arrested Mellisa A. Knight, 26, of Bee Creek Road, Heather Stephenson, 31, and Lawrence Stephenson, 34, both of Kentucky Avenue, and charged them with manufacture of methamphetamine, conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine and unlawful possession of meth precursors. All three were arrested without incident, and were lodged in the Whitley
County Detention Center.

Harrell said deputies have obtained an arrest warrant for a fourth individual, who will be facing the same charges.

Officers assisting with the investigation include: Sheriff’s Capt. Greg Pace, Deputies John Hill, Ken Shepherd, David Rowe, Cody Harrell, Kentucky State Police Troopers Les Moses and Dwayne Foley, and the Corbin Police Department.