Officials: Lab dumped by daycare

The Cullman Times

May 08, 2008 09:08 pm

— By Patrick McCreless
PATRICKM@CULLMANTIMES.COM
Cullman County Sheriff’s investigators arrested three individuals Tuesday after they allegedly dumped a used meth lab behind a local children’s daycare center.
Kristie Marie Gilley, 31, and Donna Middleton, 30, of the Vinemont area as well as Phillip Michael Wisner, 31, of Holly Pond were charged with unlawful manufacturing of a controlled substance in the first degree and chemical endangerment of a child.
“The child endangerment charge was based on the fact that these folks disposed of chemicals near a daycare that children attend every day,” said Sheriff Tyler Roden.
The three were arrested at Gilley and Middleton’s residence on County Road 1269, which was next door to the daycare center. The name of the daycare center was not released.
According to reports, the investigation began after the sheriff’s office received a call Tuesday that a possible meth lab was in a dumpster behind a daycare center. Deputies and Cullman County Narcotics Enforcement Team (CNET) agents were dispatched to the scene.
“They discovered it was remnants of a meth lab disposed in the dumpster,” Roden said. “What was found inside was not an active lab.”
A drug enforcement agency cleanup crew was called to the scene to safely remove the pieces of the lab.
Roden added that investigators also discovered pieces of information in the dumpster, which led them to potential suspects who lived next to the daycare center.
“They had sacked up canisters and chemicals and everything and just threw it in the dumpster,” Roden said.
When agents arrived at the residence, they found Gilley, Middleton and Wisner. After establishing probable cause, investigators searched the residence, where they allegedly discovered chemicals used to manufacture methamphetamine, smoking devices, a small amount of marijuana, 7 grams of meth and a firearm.
Gilley, Middleton and Wisner are incarcerated at the Cullman County Detention Center, each with a $1 million bond.
Unlawful manufacturing of a controlled substance in the first degree is a Class A felony, punishable by up to life in prison. Chemical endangerment of a child is a Class C felony, punishable by up to 10 years in prison.