A Stoney Creek man has been arrested and charged in connection with the discovery of a suspected meth lab in May.
Leonard McCoy Arnold, 65, 358 Highway 91, was arrested early Thursday morning by Carter County Sheriff’s Department Sgt. Issac Rhea on warrants charging him with possession of drug paraphernalia, initiation of process to manufacture methamphetamine and three counts of promotion of methamphetamine manufacture.
The charges against Arnold stem from May 7 when officers of the Carter County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant on a camper at 539 Highway 91 and located evidence of a meth lab. Arnold is the third person to be charged in connection with the incident.
Previously charged were Mark Stover, 25, 539 Highway 91, and Tara Beth Carden, 29, also of 539 Highway 91. Stover was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, promotion of methamphetamine manufacture, and initiation of process to manufacture methamphetamine. Carden was charged with possession of Schedule IV drugs, four counts promotion of methamphetamine manufacture, possession of drug paraphernalia and initiation of process to manufacture methamphetamine.
“Prior to the search warrant being executed deputies had performed surveillance on the camper and property which observed the main target of the operation, Mr. Mark Stover, go inside and out of the camper several times as well as an older white male, Leonard McCoy Arnold, who I was able to identify through personal observation,” states CCSD Sgt. Nick Andes in the warrant for Arnold’s arrest. “During the search of the property certified clandestine meth lab techs discovered the remnants of several previous ‘cooks’ as well as a meth lab kit which contained all needed ingredients and equipment except pseudoephedrine. Inside the camper several items of drug use paraphernalia were discovered.”
Andes also states in the warrant that Arnold’s identification and other personal property were located inside the camper confirming that he was residing there.
“Further investigation discovered that Mr. Arnold was purchasing pseudoephedrine at a quantity and frequency that is indicative of methamphetamine manufacture or its promotion,” Andes said in the warrant.
Both Stover and Carden are scheduled to appear in Carter County General Sessions Court on July 15. No court date information was immediately available for Arnold.