BATH

A man and woman have been arrested and issued aggravated drug trafficking charges after a meth lab bust at 50 Elm St. Friday morning — located behind the police station.

Both people arrested were charged with aggravated trafficking in Schedule W drugs (methamphetamine), a Class A crime. The charge was elevated from a Class B crime due to the proximity to Morse High School. Arrested were, James Scheider, 38, of Chiefland, Florida and Stacey Dykes, 36, of Chiefland, Florida. Dykes is originally from Bath but has been living in Florida for several years.

According to a press release issued by Bath Police Department, “For the past several days detectives from the Bath Police Department, Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s Office, and MDEA conducted an investigation into the illegal manufacturing of Methamphetamine from a foreclosed, multi-unit apartment building at 50 Elm St. 

“The investigation revealed that two people had moved from Florida and taken up residence in an abandoned apartment at 50 Elm St. Bath Police officers recognized several items indicative of the manufacturing of Methamphetamine and contacted agents from the Mid-Coast District Task Force for assistance.”

Agents obtained a search warrant for Apt. 3, located on the second floor of the apartment building, which was executed at around 10:30 a.m. Friday. Bath officers and agents located two people in the apartment who were detained without incident. While in the apartment agents observed a container that appeared to be an active,  “One Pot” laboratory. Officers immediately evacuated the apartment building and secured the area.

Due to the extremely toxic and explosive nature of methamphetamine manufacturing, MDEA’s Clandestine Drug Laboratory Enforcement Team was activated and responded in order to safely dismantle and seize the clandestine laboratories.

Assisting the MDEA was Bath Fire Department and the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. The DEP properly disposes of the hazardous waste related to the laboratories. Specially trained agents from around the state and a state chemist, armed in protective gear with specialized equipment, dismantled two of the “One Pot” laboratories found in the apartment. They also retained samples of the laboratories for criminal prosecution in the future. 

 Evidence collected at the scene and facts of the investigation will be reviewed by the State’s Attorney General’s Office for charges.

Scheider and Dykes were transported to the Two Bridges Regional Jail in Wiscasset, where bail was set at $5,000 dollars cash for each person. They have a court date set for Jan. 13, 2015. 

Police say this is the third methamphetamine lab in Bath, one dismantled last year and the other in 2008. According to MDEA officials, this is the 25th methamphetamine lab-related incident the agency’s CDLET team has responded to this year. There were 20 incidents in 2013. 

“I commend the work of the Bath Police Detective Division, the MDEA MidCoast Task Force, CDLET, and the Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s office for their quick action in this investigation,” said Bath Police Chief Mike Field. “Their quick and decisive investigative work quite possibly prevented a tragedy in the multi-family apartment complex as well as kept large amounts of illicit drugs off our streets.”

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