Meth lab found in truck
Published 9:15 pm Friday, July 26, 2013
An Atmore man is in jail in Pensacola this weekend after authorities said his shoplifting led them to an active meth lab in the bed of the truck he was traveling in.
Thomas Marvin Lord, 48 of 605 E. Oak Street, was taken into custody, along with his passenger, 32-year-old Shanna Gayle Johnson, Thursday just before midnight after they allegedly stole items from a Walmart.
According to the arrest report, Lord and Johnson left the Walmart without paying for several items, including a drill and several sets of spark plugs. The couple was stopped and detained a short while later on North 9th Avenue and transported back to the Walmart location, the report states.
According to the report, while en route back to Walmart, Johnson admitted to stealing the items, worth a total of $116.67, stating they needed money for gas.
During a search of the vehicle, the stolen items were recovered, as well as insulin syringes Lord had purchased, according to the report. Officers stated they also found a soft-sided cooler in the bed of the truck with what they believed to be a working meth lab inside.
According to a report from PPD narcotics detectives, the truck was moved to the far corner of the property after a bottle inside the alleged lab was found to be “bubbling.”
Detectives stated the lab was active and had to be deactivated, requiring the use of protective equipment. According to the report, anhydrous ammonium, hydrochloric acid, pseudoephedrine, multiple items used to manufacture methamphetamine and actual methamphetamine were found in the truck.
Lord and Johnson were transported to the Pensacola Police Department, where Johnson told authorities she was a “junky” and Lord was only assisting her in the process of manufacturing the methamphetamine.
Both suspects were arrested and booked into the Pensacola jail.
As of Friday, Johnson remained in jail on $91,000 bond. She has been charged with misdemeanor shoplifting in the first degree; felony amphetamine trafficking in the first degree; misdemeanor possession of drug equipment in the first degree; felony possession of drugs in the second degree; felony opium or deriv-sell in the second degree.
Lord also remained in jail on charges of misdemeanor shoplifting in the first degree; felony opium-deriv sell in the second degree; felony amphetamine trafficking in the first degree; misdemeanor possession of drug equipment in the first degree; felony possession of drugs in the second degree; two counts of felony fraud – insufficient funds for a check in the third degree; probation violation. He is being held on no bond.