Published: September 03, 2007 01:47 pm         

Deputies seeking wanted man stumble onto meth lab, recovery stolen property

Cumberland County sheriff's deputies accompanying a bail bondsman in search of a suspect wanted for skipping court got a bonus when they stumbled onto a clandestine methamphetamine lab and recovered stolen property.

Last Monday deputies accompanied an agent for FreeBird Bonding Co. went to 92 Benefit Rd. west of Pleasant Hill and after a foot pursuit apprehended Kenny Lyle Johnson, 24, 158 Benefit Rd., for failure to appear in court to answer charges relating to the operation of a methamphetamine lab in the Lake Tansi area last year, according to Sgt. Greg England's report.

Assisting in the arrest were Investigator Bo Kollros and Deputies A.C. Allen and Alan Wyatt.

While searching for Johnson, deputies walked up on a plastic tote that contained components for a meth lab in a wooded area behind 92 Benefit Rd. A small distance away officers found a table that had a jug of water, propane torch and two class dishes where it appeared meth had been cooked, according to Investigator Casey Cox's report.

Deputies also found two marijuana plants growing in the area.

The Drug Enforcement Agency was notified and a hazardous materials team was dispatched to the address to dispose of the toxic chemicals used in the process to make methamphetamine.

In addition to Johnson, Velma Emerson, 40, 92 Benefit Rd., were taken into custody on an investigative hold and Emerson was later released with charges pending.

While the lab was being processed, deputies found an Alvarez acoustic guitar that turned out to have been among property stolen from The Front Porch Pickin' business located on L.R. Neal Rd. earlier this summer. A suspect, Jonathan Russell, has been charged in that burglary following an independent investigation earlier this year.

Charges are also pending in the recovery of the guitar.