State police arrest 9 in drug raid

DIX--Nine arrests resulted after a methamphetamine lab was discovered Wednesday, Nov. 2 at 1496 Lawrence Johnson Road in the town of Dix by state troopers from the Horseheads barracks, state police reported.
Schuyler County District Attorney Joseph Fazzary said he believes this is the second-largest meth bust they've ever had in the county.
An additional defendant is pending, Fazzary said, noting an arrest warrant was out for the 10th defendant. "They just picked him up on that and have not charged him (yet) with the meth manufacturing," he said.
"Ten defendants is a lot," he said. "Most cases, there's two, three tops."
After an investigation, the following individuals located at the residence were arrested and charged with third-degree unlawful manufacturing methamphetamine, a class D felony, police said:
• Basil A. Rhoads, 53, of 1496 Lawrence Johnson Road, Beaver Dams.
• Belinda M. Webster, 43, of 123 N. Catherine St., Montour Falls.
• Stephanie N. Short, 28, of 7622 County Route 20, Bradford.
• Annette C. Romance, 47, of 7654 Whitehead Hill Road, Bradford.
• Carrie L. Southard, 37, of 325 Rock Cabin Road, Lot 12, Montour Falls.
• Gabriel J. Wilkins, 38, of 802 Wells Ave., Athens, Pa.
• Heather J. Stehm, 25, of 531 W. Water St., Elmira.
• Earl G. MacDougall, 22, of 4545 State Route 224, Montour Falls.
• Tammy L. Snell, 39, of 325 Rock Cabin Road, Lot 12, Montour Falls.
All nine defendants were arraigned in Montour Falls Village Court. Bail was set and the defendants were sent to the Schuyler County Jail.
The following items used in the manufacture of methamphetamine were seized after a search warrant was obtained and executed at the residence, police said:
• Four "one pot" methamphetamine labs.
• Four ounces of methamphetamine oil.
• Pseudoephedrine boxes and blister packs.
• Chemical reagents including muriatic acid, ammonium nitrate, lithium batteries, sodium chloride, sodium hydroxide and sulfuric acid.
• Camping fuel.
• Lab equipment consisting of coffee grinders, funnels, tools, plastic bottles, measuring cups, rubber tubing, thermometers and hydrogen chloride gas generators.
Also seized were less than 25 grams of marijuana and a DVR recorder from a surveillance system, police said.
Members of the state police Community Narcotics Enforcement Team responded to the scene with additional uniform troopers from Troop E, police said. The Schuyler County Sheriff's Department assisted with the investigation and arraignments of the defendants, police said.
The state police Contaminated Crime Scene Emergency Response Team conducted a cleanup and removed the methamphetamine manufacturing components and hazardous materials from the residence, police added.