By By Robbie Byrd, News Editor
Two people were arrested Monday after a routine traffic stop resulted in an Atmore Police Officer discovering a crystal methamphetamine lab in the back of their car.
Jennifer Michelle Brown, white female, 30, of Grantville, Ga., and Gary Travis Williamson, white male, 34, of Newman, Ga. Were arrested on charges of: unlawful manufacturing of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.
The lab was a red phosphorous, or "red p," as opposed to the several anhydrous ammonia labs that have been busted in the Atmore area over the past few months.
On July 8 at around 9:30 a.m., APD Officer Charles Gandy made a traffic stop on a vehicle with a stolen tag.
After further investigation officers discovered components of a possible methamphetamine lab in the back of the vehicle.
"It was not an active operation when we stopped it," said Keith Hutchins, public information officer with the DTF. "They were headed back to Ga. on Hwy. 21 coming from Pensacola."
Agents with the 21st Judicial Circuit Drug Task Force responded to the scene and assisted officers. Lab technicians from the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences responded from Mobile, Alabama and took samples of the chemicals. A hazardous chemical clean-up crew responded from Jackson, Mississippi and took custody of the Lab.
The 21st Judicial Circuit Drug Task Force is compromised of the following law enforcement agencies: Escambia County Sheriff's Department, Atmore Police Department, East Brewton Police Department, Brewton Police Department, Flomaton Police Department, Escambia County District Attorney's Office and the Escambia County Commission.
The Task Force receives 75 percent of its funding from a grant funded by the Bureau of Justice Affairs Division of the United States Department of Justice and which is administered by the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs. The remainder of the funding is provided by the Escambia County Sheriff's Department, Atmore Police Department, Brewton Police Department and the Escambia County District Attorney's Office.