ALFRED — Nine people have been formally charged with operating methamphetamine labs stemming from two separate incidents on two August days in two towns some 12 miles apart.

A York County grand jury handed up indictments against eight people, at least three from the same family, allegedly involved in a meth lab operation in Hollis and against one woman alleged to be operating a meth lab in Limington.

A report of a possible drug overdose led to multiple arrests and the seizure of methamphetamine labs in Hollis on Aug. 9, according to Maine State Police.

In the Limington incident, York County Sheriff’s deputies discovered the alleged operation on Aug. 8 when they responded to a report of an explosion at the South Road home where Sarah Goodwin, 38, lived with her two minor children.

Earlier this week, the grand jury indicted Goodwin on two counts of Class A felony aggravated operation of a meth lab, and two counts of Class D misdemeanor endangering the welfare of a child.

In the Hollis incident on Aug. 9, the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency Clandestine Laboratory Team executed a search warrant and found eight active one-pot methamphetamine labs and about 25 used labs at a home on Killick Pond Road, according to a police statement. Chemicals used to manufacture methamphetamine as well as an undisclosed amount of the drug were also discovered.

The Killick Pond Road home is the residence of the Allman family, said State Police Lt. William Ross in an interview following the arrests in August.

Many of the others arrested lived in dilapidated campers and trailers on the property, Ross said.

The individual who had overdosed was successfully resuscitated after emergency personnel administered naloxone. At the time, Ross said emergency personnel were busy, as others were also ill at that residence.

Indicted in connection with the Hollis incident were Joseph H. Allman Jr., 54; Joseph H. Allman III, 34; Derek Berube, 31; Shawn Brown, 35; Sandra Brown, 61; Josie Kimball, 28 and Shelby Morris, 26. They are charged with Class B felony operation of a meth lab and Class C felony conspiracy.

Kyle Allman, 32, is charged with aggravated operation of a meth lab a Class A felony; one Class B felony count of operating a meth lab and Class C conspiracy.

Indictments are findings that enough evidence exists to move forward with prosecution.

None of those charged has been arraigned or has entered a plea.

Authorities say the use of methamphetamines is on the rise in Maine. While these two incidents involved its manufacture, most of the meth in Maine is brought in through out-of-state networks, said Chris Mitchell of the MDEA following the Hollis arrests.

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 780-9016 or twells@journaltribune.com. Associate Editor Dina Mendros contirbuted to this story.

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