Men could be charged for meth supply bag

Knowing what was in the bag could cost a local man up to six years in prison after he and another man were arrested for having a bag full of meth-making materials.

The defendant, James Haston, was bound over to the grand jury Tuesday by General Sessions Judge Larry Ross on charges of manufacture of methamphetamine and is free on $2,500 bond awaiting grand jury action on his case.

Haston was arrested along with co-defendant James R. Upchurch after the men were pulled over in a vehicle driven by Haston?s girlfriend, Regina Farless. The vehicle was stopped after lawmen, attempting to serve a warrant at home on Alton Davenport Road, saw Farless start to pull in the driveway and then drive away. Deputies said they thought the person wanted in the warrant they had might be in the car given her suspicious actions upon seeing the lawmen in the driveway.

Upon being pulled over, a car search was conducted. During the search a gym bag was found in the trunk, prompting deputy Kelly Carter to pose a question to Haston.

?I asked him what was in the bag. This is before we opened it,? Carter testified Tuesday. ?He told me ?Man, you know what?s in the bag? which meant to me he already knew what was in there.?

What the bag contained was numerous items used in the production of meth including, but not limited to, digital scales, Heat, lye, psudoephedrine packs, various liquids, iodine contained inside a plastic glove and tubing.

Carter said Haston claimed the bag at one point, noting he did not want his girlfriend blamed. He would later change his story to say Upchurch was carrying the bag when they picked him up. Upchurch denied it was his bag, noting he did not ?intend to take the rap? for the contents of the bag. His comments also reportedly came before the bag was ever opened.

?It seemed to me both men knew what was in the bag before we ever opened it,? Carter said in explaining why he charged both men but did not charge the owner of the car, Farless.

The case was bound to the grand jury by Ross who did point out the evidence ?was not the strongest? against both men.