Meth lab found in apartment complex

By DUANE SHERRILL / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard

Suspect Stephen Foutch hides his face from the camera as patrolman Robert Hutchins leads him to an awaiting patrol car Friday afternoon at Rosewood apartments. (Duane Sherrill photo)

Two people were arrested Friday afternoon after an alleged meth lab was found at their Rosewood apartment, inside the densely populated housing complex.

The suspects, Jeanette Fuller and Stephen Foutch, are charged with attempted manufacture of meth. Both were reportedly living at the apartment at the time of the raid. Foutch was free on bond at the time of the raid after being arrested in connection with two other alleged meth labs.

According to McMinnville Police Narcotics Investigator Tony Jenkins, lawmen were given information meth was being made at the residence, which is part of a densely populated apartment complex. A search warrant was then obtained following an investigation.

When lawmen arrived, the suspects, who were inside, refused to open the door, prompting police to break down the door to gain entry. Once inside, officers found a large amount of materials used in the production of meth. Among the items was “a large amount” of extracted ephedrine drying under a lamp. The ephedrine, often taken from over-the-counter drugs, is a basic ingredient in meth.

Also found were hundreds of books of matches with their striker pads removed. The striker pads are used to extract red phosphorous, another major ingredient of meth.

Police also believe they found about 20 grams of finished product. Due to the large amount of chemicals in the apartment to be tested, Jenkins said police ran out of field testing kits. According to officers, the discovery of a meth lab in such a populated place is not necessarily surprising since similar labs have been found in other apartment complexes in the past.