Jerome Tester, 30, of 220 Oxford State Road, faces charges of illegal assembly of chemicals, obstructing official business and failure to carry liability insurance for a vicious dog as the owner of a pit bull found in the garage.
The arrests came after police said they found the remains of materials allegedly used to make methamphetamine.
It was just before 5 a.m. Monday, Aug. 16, that police received a tip of a possible meth lab operating in the garage of 1821 Baltimore St.
Upon their arrival, officers said they observed Wilhoit leaving the garage and padlocking it shut behind him.
They spoke with him and a female resident, Sommer Viars, 29, about a marijuana plant in plain view and possible further cultivation on the premises.
Viars advised that Wilhoit was the father of her children and while he did not live with her, he did work on cars in the garage.
Police said that when they asked Wilhoit to open the garage, he told them he could not find the key. Viars gave police permission to cut the lock.
Once the garage was open, police said they were confronted by an aggressive pit bull and had to wait for the dog warden to respond to secure the animal.
After several minutes of searching the garage, authorities reportedly found Tester hiding under a car attempting to conceal a cloth bag. When Tester refused to come out, officers had to jack up the car in order to secure him and the bag.
“That’s when we found the chemicals to make methamphetamine and the remains of a prior cook or else they were getting ready to cook,” said Middletown police Sgt. David Birk.
Throughout the garage, police said they found several items used to make meth and three bottles that appeared to be the drug in the making. Authorities also recovered two marijuana plants from the rear yard, according to the report.
Birk said Viars was not charged because police believe she was unaware of the operation.
The narcotics division disposed of the chemicals.
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