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July 14, 2008

Alleged arsonist charged with meth manufacturing

By Patrick McCreless

A Cullman man who supposedly burned a local business while disposing of a meth lab last month was arrested Wednesday on an unrelated meth manufacturing charge.

Cullman County Sheriff’s investigators charged John Adam Welch, 35, with unlawful manufacturing in the first degree. He was charged with arson in the third degree on Friday.

The arson investigation stemmed from a June 29 fire that damaged Tony’s School of Music, located on 4th Street SW in Cullman.

“The fire caused some heavy smoke charring to the outside of the building and a small amount of damage to the interior,” said Cullman County Sheriff Tyler Roden. “The Cullman Fire Department was able to extinguish the fire before it caused any heavier damage.”

Nobody was injured during the fire.

During the investigation, Welch was developed as a suspect. Roden said at the time of the arson, Welch worked at the Willingham Salvage Company next door to Tony’s.

“On the ninth of July, investigators and state fire marshals went to John Welch’s residence in Cullman to follow up on the arson,” Roden said. “When they did so, they discovered Welch was in possession of a meth lab.”

Roden said investigators recovered various chemicals used in the manufacturing of meth as well as 2 grams of the drug and drug paraphernalia.

“Upon further investigation, investigators determined the fire was caused by Welch disposing of a meth lab,” Roden said.

Welch is incarcerated in the Cullman County Detention Center on a $1 million bond for manufacturing and on a $5,000 bond for the arson charge.

Manufacturing of a controlled substance in the first degree is a Class A felony, punishable by up to life in prison. Arson in the third degree is a Class A misdemeanor.

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