| March 23,
2002 |
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| Officers
"Flush Out" Methamphetamine Lab |
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Law enforcement
officers used an unusual weapon to confiscate thousands of dollars worth of the
drug "crank" on Friday night: a backhoe.
Sheriff John T. McDevitt said
the accused drug makers flushed the drugs as a search warrant was being
executed at 3595 Owens Mountain Avenue in Hildebran.
"We contacted the
Burke County Public Works Department, who responded with a backhoe and
uncovered the septic tank," McDevitt said. "The drugs were floating on top of
the sewage."
McDevitt said approximately 20 grams of methamphetamine was
recovered from the septic tank. |
Sheriff McDevitt and Deputy Mike Church closing
septic tank |
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| Members of the Burke County Narcotics Task
Force, Burke County Sheriff's Office SWAT Team, and the N.C. State Bureau of
Investigation Emergency Clandestine Lab Response Team attempted to serve the
search warrant. |
| |
 |
As they
approached the residence, Jeffrey Scott Hyler (left), 32, of 4525 Mount Hebron Avenue, Connelly Springs
allegedly ran into the home and locked the front door behind him. Officers
announced they had a search warrant and used a forcible entry tool to
enter.
"They had time to flush the drugs before we could arrest them,"
McDevitt stated. |
|
 |
When officers
entered, they arrested Hyler and Donna Lisa Deyton (left), 37, who reportedly lives at the
address.
Officer Tom McManus of the Morganton Department of Public
Safety responded with his canine "Dede" and conducted a search of the
residence. The search reportedly yielded 1 1/2 oz. of marijuana. Officers also
confiscated currency and a quantity of methamphetamine from Hyler. |
|
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| "The execution of this search proved
successful," said McDevitt. "They thought they outsmarted us by flushing the
drugs, but our public works department came through for us by opening the
septic tank. Everyone worked well together." |
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| Methamphetamine, or "crank" as it is known on
the street, has become a popular drug in North Carolina as of late. A
clandestine laboratory was busted by
deputies earlier this month at an eastern Burke motel. That laboratory had
the potential to produce 1.4 million dollars of the deadly drug, investigators
said. |
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| Specialists with the N.C.S.B.I. say producing
the drug is a risky operation because mixing the chemicals improperly can cause
an explosion. The SBI has trained chemists who respond to crime scenes
involving illegal meth labs. |
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| "We take no chances with meth," McDevitt
commented. "That's why we had the SBI here; they are highly trained in
dismantling these type of laboratories." |
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| Hyler and Deyton were charged with maintaining a
residence to keep controlled substances and possession with intent to sell and
deliver methamphetamine. They were placed under $25,000 secured bonds and will
have first court appearances on Monday. |
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| ************************************************************** |
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| Other Recent Press Releases: |
| |
- March 20,
2002...Arrests Made in Ridge Court Break-In
- March 20,
2002...Sheriff Receives National Award
- March 18,
2002...Woman Shot; Husband Charged
- March 15,
2002...Husband and Wife Arrested for Selling Pot
- March 15,
2002...Alleged Fencing Operation Busted, One Charged
- March 14,
2002...Hallam Charged with Setting Fire to Jail
- March 11,
2002...Meth Lab Produced 1.4 Million Dollars, SBI Says
- March 9,
2002.....Illegal Drug Lab Found at Eastern Burke Motel
- March 8,
2002.....Gunter Arrested on Sexual Offense
- March 5,
2002.....Impact-West Absconders Charged with B&E&L
- March 2,
2002.....Powell Arrested After Gunfight
|
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archives
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