Two meth labs were found Thursday, September 16, by members of the Macon County Sheriff's Department, TBI, DEA, and the HIDTA (High Intensity Drug Trafficking Agency) task force.
According to Robin Gregory, Macon County Sheriff's Department Chief Deputy, this was a joint investigation that had been in the planning stages for several days. This was a type of "knock and talk" campaign in which Macon County residents who were known to the sheriff's department, or whose names had been given to the sheriff's department, were visited in their homes by members of the above agencies.
Sheriff Joe Ferguson was also involved in the roundup, he said "We want to do everything possible to either substantiate and act on the information we receive, or clear the
name of the resident. We knock on the doors and have a talk with the person, and if we find them engaged in making methamphetamine, we're going to arrest them."
While knocking on the door at 1043 Gamaliel Road in Red Boiling Springs at approximately 10 a.m., authorities smelled a familiar chemical odor emanating from the basement of the house. A search warrant was obtained and revealed a number of chemicals and other paraphernalia used to make methamphetamine, as well as high powered rifles, guns, ammunition and TV camera monitoring equipment set up to monitor driveway traffic. ATF was called to detonate the homemade bomb. No one was home at the time of the search warrant. The owner of the home, 26-year-old Jeffery Gregory, has not been charged at this time. The case is still under investigation and charges are pending.
At approximately the same time at 5988 Akersville Road, Chief Deputy Gregory and members of the above agencies contacted David Roark, owner of the property, who gave consent to search his residence and surrounding out buildings.
Reportedly, in one of the out buildings a methamphetamine substance and marijuana was found. At that time, Roark allegedly revoked his permission to search his property.
Agents then stopped the search and obtained a search warrant due to probable cause.
During this search, authorities found a white powder and numerous items used to manufacture methamphetamine.
At the rear of the property, approximately 50 marijuana plants were found growing in a cattle trailer and a small pull behind trailer.
Roark, age 34, and his live-in girlfriend, Alecia Wade, age 23, were brought in for questioning. This investigation is also pending.
Numerous homes were approached in the county-wide hunt for meth labs with negative results.
According to Chief Gregory, this operation has been in the planning stages for several months and officers worked from daylight to dark on these cases.
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