ALFRED — A 31-year-old Cornish man on probation for robbing a pharmacy in 2010 is facing new drug charges in connection with a meth lab found at his home during a probation check on Wednesday.
James Wildes was arrested and taken to York County Jail, where he remained Thursday, held without bail because of the alleged probation violation.
The methamphetamine lab was discovered by state probation officers while conducting a check of Wildes at his mobile home at 19 Kimball Hill Road, said Maine Public Safety spokesman Steve McCausland.
Found inside the home were the ingredients and equipment used in the manufacture of methamphetamine including an active “one pot” lab. Evidence of earlier manufacturing was discovered along with a small amount of methamphetamine, McCausland said.
The discovery on Wednesday was the 14th methamphetamine-related response by MDEA this year.
Wildes is on probation for a 2010 pharmacy robbery and was arrested and charged with violating his probation. McCausland said MDEA agents will submit charges of unlawful operation of a methamphetamine laboratory after consulting with the Attorney General’s Office. He said unnamed associates will be charged with assisting Wildes in obtaining pseudoephedrine, an essential ingredient in methamphetamine production.
James Wildes has a criminal history stretching to 2004. MDEA Commander Scott Pelletier this morning conformed that Wildes is the same man who was convicted of robbing the E.W. Morse & Son Pmarmacy in Bingham in 2010. Wildes, then of Madison, was sentenced to five years in prison for the crime. Wildes was on probation when he robbed the pharmacy, in connection with a conviciton on a robbery of a Madison credit union in 2004.
Last month in Limington, Wildes’ brother — 32-year-old Joseph Wildes — and two other men were charged with operating a meth lab inside their home at 24 South Road.
The Department of Environmental Protection assisted the Maine lab team members by securing the toxic byproducts of the laboratory for disposal.
The residence was secured by Maine State Police and York County Sheriff’s Office while the meth team was responding.
— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 (local call in Sanford) or 282-1535, ext. 327 or [email protected].
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