UPDATED: Alleged meth house in Corbin raided by police

A Corbin home was raided by police Friday and its occupant is being accused by police of making methamphetamine following a seven-month investigation by local police. – and authorities now say more people could be charged.

Cathy Faith Wilson, 34, of Corbin, was charged by Corbin Police withy manufacturing methamphetamine, unlawful possession of the ingredients to make meth, possession of meth, wanton endangerment and possession of drug paraphernalia after authorities descended on her 17th Street home Friday afternoon.

The raid was the culmination of over half a year of time-consuming investigation that involved surveillance of the residence and purchase records of meth ingredients bought from local stores.

According to Corbin Police Officer Glenn Taylor Jr., the lead investigator in the case, police first noted Wilson as a suspect when her name popped up often on logs kept by merchants when customers purchase cold medications that contain the drug pseudoephedrine – a principal component of methamphetamine. State law mandates stores keep logs of those who buy pseudoephedrine and ephedrine in order to curb meth production. Purchases are now monitored by an electronic statewide system called MethCheck.

"She was in three different stores purchasing stuff from them," Taylor said. "She was buying other things too like lye and iodine pretty often. When people come in and they are asking for iodine once a week, they start logging that stuff down."

Corbin police executed a search warrant at 622 17th Street Friday afternoon. During the search, officers found "all the necessary components for a fully functional methamphetamine lab," according to a police department news release. No meth was being made when officers arrived at the residence.

Police did find a substance that appeared to be methamphetamine and tested positive as meth when it was field-tested.
Taylor said when he arrived at the home to serve the search warrant he noticed a strong chemical odor commonly associated with meth production. He said he noticed some methamphetamine components in some garbage that had not yet been thrown out.

"There were two HCL generators (Hydrochloric Acid) still smoking. Those are very dangerous."

Police think Wilson was "cooking" meth in a detached garage on the property. Taylor said he noticed "a lot" of people going in and out of the residence at all hours of the night during his investigation – a common sign of drug activity.

"I don’t think she was [selling]. I think it was one of those deals where it was kind of like a party house," Taylor said. "They were making it and they thought they weren’t being watched and it was just going on non-stop."

Taylor said a babysitter was at the house when police were there, but was not charged with any crime. He said authorities were currently consulting with prosecutors to determine if an indictment would be sought against the women. Others who were not at the residence at the time are also likely targets of the investigation. Wilson told police the meth ingredients and lab equipment belonged to other people whom she let come there and make the drug.

"There are more people involved. The investigation is still continuing," Taylor said.

Police say Wilson admitted to be addicted to methamphetamine. A male juvenile in the home, one of her two sons, was taken to BRMC and tested for possible chemical toxicity and released. Social Services placed the child in the custody of a relative. Wilson has another son, Taylor said, who had been staying with grandparents.

A special Kentucky State Police Drug Enforcement Special Investigations team was called to the home to perform clean up of the meth lab. The team discovered over 12,000 books of matches at the scene. The red phosphorous tips of the matches are often used to make meth.

As of press time Tuesday, the house was surrounded by yellow police tape, and a large red sign hanging on the front door warned that the interior is contaminated.

Wilson was arrested without incident and taken to the Whitley County Detention Center. Sgt. Glenn Taylor Jr. is continuing an investigation into the case. He was assisted by Sgt. Shannon Jones, Detective Bill Rose, Cpl. Rob Hodge, K-9 Officer Coy Wilson and Lt. Rob Jones.