ST. ALBANS, W.Va. -- Police arrested a St. Albans man accused of operating a meth lab in the home he shared with his wife and four children.
Authorities identified the man as Steven Wayne Blake, 36, of Jefferson Avenue.
Kanawha County deputies received an anonymous tip about a meth lab at the residence, according to a complaint filed in Kanawha Magistrate Court.
Blake had been arrested in 2007 for operating a meth lab, the complaint said.
Cpl. M. B. Cummings and Sgt. E. S. Drennan went to the home Tuesday, and when Blake opened the door deputies smelled a distinct odor commonly associated with the production of meth, the complaint said.
Deputies asked to enter the home but Blake wouldn't allow them to enter without a search warrant, according to the complaint.
Drennan left the scene and obtained a search warrant issued and signed by Kanawha Magistrate Pete Lopez, while Cummings stayed at the home, the complaint said.
Deputies then searched the home and found a propane cylinder in the basement, along with cold medicine blister packs, three bottles of hydrogen peroxide, two bottles of Heet gas line additive, gas generators, numerous iodine bottles and matchbooks with the strike plates removed, all in a trashcan outside the home, according to the complaint.
Police said the items are used in conjunction to make meth.
Blake lives in the home with his wife and four children ranging in age from 2 years to 14 years, according to the complaint.
Blake was arrested and charged with attempting to operate a clandestine meth lab and four counts of exposing children to meth. He is being held at South Central Regional Jail.
Contact writer Ashley B. Craig at ashley.cr...@dailymail.com or 304-348-4850.
ST. ALBANS, W.Va. -- Police arrested a St. Albans man accused of operating a meth lab in the home he shared with his wife and four children.
Authorities identified the man as Steven Wayne Blake, 36, of Jefferson Avenue.
Kanawha County deputies received an anonymous tip about a meth lab at the residence, according to a complaint filed in Kanawha Magistrate Court.
Blake had been arrested in 2007 for operating a meth lab, the complaint said.
Cpl. M. B. Cummings and Sgt. E. S. Drennan went to the home Tuesday, and when Blake opened the door deputies smelled a distinct odor commonly associated with the production of meth, the complaint said.
Deputies asked to enter the home but Blake wouldn't allow them to enter without a search warrant, according to the complaint.
Drennan left the scene and obtained a search warrant issued and signed by Kanawha Magistrate Pete Lopez, while Cummings stayed at the home, the complaint said.
Deputies then searched the home and found a propane cylinder in the basement, along with cold medicine blister packs, three bottles of hydrogen peroxide, two bottles of Heet gas line additive, gas generators, numerous iodine bottles and matchbooks with the strike plates removed, all in a trashcan outside the home, according to the complaint.
Police said the items are used in conjunction to make meth.
Blake lives in the home with his wife and four children ranging in age from 2 years to 14 years, according to the complaint.
Blake was arrested and charged with attempting to operate a clandestine meth lab and four counts of exposing children to meth. He is being held at South Central Regional Jail.
Contact writer Ashley B. Craig at ashley.cr...@dailymail.com or 304-348-4850.
The entire family living in this house knew what was going on. The wife was in on this too. They had company over at thier house all hours of the night.
The house is condemed and is facing the possibility of being destroyed if lab tests show that meth is traced in the wood and paint.
Most of the neighbors are just relieved now that this is over so we can continue with our normal lives on this usually quiet street.