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Charged Thursday in felony warrants with one count each of first-degree drug trafficking by manufacturing a controlled substance are:
Russell E. Busse, 25, St. Clair; Shannon M. Stephens, 23, House Springs; James A. Thurman, 47, Lonedell; and Wesley D. Godat, 32, St. Clair. Bond was set at $100,000 cash only for each of the suspects.
The four allegedly were cooking the meth in an abandoned mobile home in Westwood subdivision, off Highway FF, in a remote area south of Highway 30 near Lonedell, authorities said.
Detective Sgt. Jason Grellner, commander of the Franklin County Narcotics Enforcement Unit, alleged that the group had been cooking meth at that site for the last couple of months.
"This is one of the largest labs we've seen in some time. They were using an electric drill and a drywall paddle to mix chemicals because they were making such big batches," Grellner said.
Task force officers seized more than three pounds of a substance that tested positive for meth, Grellner said. That substance will be sent to the Missouri Highway Patrol lab for analysis.
The raid was part of an ongoing investigation based on information developed by the task force, Grellner said.
When officers arrived at the ramshackle mobile home at 1010 Birch Lane, a man and woman were standing outside, Grellner said, and two other men then came out. Stephens, Godat and Busse immediately ran off into the woods and were pursued by four task force officers and two deputies. Thurman was taken into custody. Grellner said that suspect had some suspected meth in his pocket and officers also found cold tablets and muriatic acid in his vehicle.
Inside the trailer was a large amount of meth lab components and precursors for making meth. Grellner said it took more than six hours to process the scene and three trucks to haul away the evidence.
Officers also found receipts from pharmacies in Jefferson County where the suspects allegedly bought cold tablets to make meth, Grellner said.
Foot Chase
Detective Bev Gillam, Cpl. Robin Sharp and Sgt. Jeff Hartwig pursued Godat for more than an hour through woods, eventually tracking him to a mobile home north of Highway 30, Grellner said.
The suspect allegedly went to the home, removed his clothes and put them in a washing machine and showered. An acquaintance brought him fresh clothes just before the officers arrived and took him into custody, according to reports.
Task force officers also obtained surveillance video from a nearby convenience store where two of the suspects had purchased items earlier Wednesday, prior to the raid, Grellner said.
Detectives also are reviewing a surveillance video from a fertilizer tank yard in northern Missouri where it's believed the suspects allegedly were stealing anhydrous ammonia, Grellner said.
He said investigators may take the case through federal court due to the size of the alleged meth lab operation.
