Four Charged in Meth Lab Investigations

The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department has made four arrests as a result of two recent meth lab investigations.
29 year old Brandon Keith Thomas of Sparta Highway, Smithville and 40 year old Shawn Renee Gibson of Frances Ferry Road, McMinnville are each charged with initiation of a process to manufacture methamphetamine. Thomas’ mother, 54 year old Sharon Renee Thomas of Sparta Highway Smithville is charged with promotion of the manufacture of meth.
Bond for Brandon Thomas is $50,000; $25,000 for Gibson; and $20,000 for Sharon Thomas. All three will make a court appearance on October 16.
Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on Saturday, September 20 a deputy received a tip of a possible meth lab at a residence on the Sparta Highway. Upon arrival, the deputy found the back door open and he saw Brandon Thomas inside shaking a bottle. Gibson was sitting on a bed in the room watching Thomas. The officer watched for several minutes until someone inside closed the door. The deputy then approached the home, knocked on the door, and heard a man inside say “it’s the cops”. When the back door was opened the deputy saw Brandon running out the front door. The officer called for Thomas to stop but he did not. The deputy went after Thomas and caught him in the front yard. Thomas admitted that everything in the house belonged to him and he gave consent for the officer to search. Inside Thomas and Gibson’s room, the deputy found draino, cold packs, Coleman fuel, muriatic acid, tubing and tubing with a bottle cap, coffee filters, an electric grinder, empty Claritin-D blister packs, a plastic bottle with muriatic acid, pliers, wire cutters, and digital scales. Thomas then led the officer outside and showed him where he had disposed of a one pot cook bottle. Thomas confessed to manufacturing meth and he was placed under arrest. Gibson was also taken into custody. After being read her rights, Gibson allegedly admitted to knowing that meth was being made in the residence and participating by shaking the one pot cook bottle. In addition to the meth charge, Gibson was further issued a citation for simple possession and possession of drug paraphernalia after she was found with two valiums, two hypodermic needles, and a half ounce of marijuana.
After her son was arrested, Sharon Thomas was brought to the sheriff’s department for questioning where she admitted to purchasing Pseudoephedrine on three occasions for the purpose of her son being able to manufacture meth. She was then placed under arrest.
Meanwhile, 23 year old Calvin Lane Murphy, Jr. of Indianapolis, Indiana is charged with criminal impersonation, initiation of a process to manufacture methamphetamine, and simple possession of a schedule II drug (meth oil). Murphy already had a failure to appear charge against him. His bond is $15,000 and he will be in court October 2.
Sheriff Ray said that on Thursday, September 18 a deputy was patrolling New Bildad Road when he noticed a truck parked under the bridge. He went down to investigate and heard someone running through the woods. When the officer reached the truck, he saw a man sitting in the passenger seat with the door open. The driver side door of the truck was also open. The deputy spoke with the man who identified himself as Cody Murphy. However a photo ID from his wallet positively identified him as Calvin Murphy, Jr.
While speaking with Murphy, the officer noticed two small bags and a bottle of lighter fluid setting on a tool box in the back of the truck . One of the bags contained a white powder substance while the other held what appeared to be fertilizer. When he looked inside the truck, the deputy found lithium energizer batteries, thirteen coffee filters with a powdery residue, and an empty clear 13.7 ounce Starbucks glass bottle. Another coffee filter was found in Murphy’s wallet. Found in the area near the truck were two-one pot bottles believed to have been used in the production of meth and another Starbucks glass bottle containing a clear liquid determined to be meth oil. Murphy was placed under arrest. Other arrests are pending.
Meanwhile in other cases, 34 year old Tracy Michelle Vincent is charged with being a fugitive from justice. Her bond is $2,500 and she will be in court on September 25. Sheriff Ray said that on Tuesday, September 16 a deputy learned that Vincent, who has active warrants against her from Warren County, Kentucky, had fled the state. She was found at a residence on Cedar Street in Liberty. She is to be extradited to Kentucky.
49 year old Billy Calvin Shaw, Jr. of Murfreesboro is charged with driving under the influence. His bond is $1,500 and he will be in court October 9. He was further issued citations for violation of the implied consent law and driving on roadways laned for traffic. Sheriff Ray said that on Tuesday, September 16 a deputy spotted a black Nissan crossing over the center line on Short Mountain Highway. The officer stopped the vehicle and spoke with the driver, Shaw. He had an odor of alcohol on his person. Shaw submitted to field sobriety tasks but then stopped, telling the officer that he could not complete the tests because he had been drinking. He also refused to submit to a blood test. Shaw was placed under arrest.
24 year old Amanda Louise Smith of Adams Street is charged with bringing contraband into a penal institution. Her bond is $50,000 and she will be in court October 2. Sheriff Ray said that on Wednesday, September 17, Smith was arrested and brought to the sheriff’s department on unrelated charges. When Smith stepped into the jail, a female correctional officer asked her if she was in possession of any illegal items Smith replied no. During a search, a silver container fell out of Smith’s bra. Thirty nine pills believed to be subutex, and eleven pills thought to be valium were found in the container.
79 year old William Albert Warren of Holiday Haven Road, Smithville is charged with a second offense of driving under the influence. He was further issued citations for violation of the open container law, leaving the scene of an accident with property damage, and failure to maintain lane of travel. His bond is $3,000 and he will be in court on October 2. Sheriff Ray said that on Saturday, September 20 a deputy was called to Banks Pisgah Road in response to a traffic accident. Upon arrival, the officer noticed that a barbed wire fence, a utility pole guide wire, and several fence posts were all damaged but the vehicle involved in the wreck was not there. The complainant reported having observed a black truck leave the scene and drive to a nursery. The officer went to the nursery and found the truck, a black Ford 150 parked inside the nursery. The front end of the truck was damaged and the vehicle was dragging barbed wire. Warren was found in the driver’s seat and he had a strong odor of alcohol on him. The center console held an open 12 ounce can of beer. Warren was unable to perform field sobriety tasks but he did submit to a blood test. A computer check revealed Warren had a DUI conviction in 2012. He was placed under arrest.
29 year old Joshua Lynn McCowan of Adams Street, Smithville is charged with domestic assault. His bond is $2,500 and he will be in court October 9. Sheriff Ray said that on Saturday, September 20 a deputy was called to a residence on Toad Road for a possible domestic. Upon arrival the officer spoke with a woman who said she and her husband, McCowan had begun arguing over him not watching their children. According to the woman, McCowan became upset, started throwing things in the house, and allegedly pushed over a table which hit his youngest son in the face. Mrs. McCowan said her husband then grabbed her by the arms causing marks and slight bruising. Fearing for her safety and that of the children, the woman said she loaded the kids in her vehicle to leave for another residence. But before she could drive away, McCowan allegedly came out of the house and punched the windshield, breaking it out. He then went to the back of the car and punched out the rear passenger side window near where the children were seated. McCowan ordered the kids to get back in the house. Because of McCowan’s actions and to keep the situation from escalating , Mrs. McCowan advised the children to get out of the car and go back into the house. McCowan then went into the house with the kids and Mrs. McCowan left the residence. But even after she was gone, McCowan allegedly remained angry and kept breaking things in the house. While trying to calm down, he had the children to go back outside. The kids left the house and walked to DeKalb Market where they were picked up and taken to their grandmother’s home on Adams Street. McCowan was determined to have been the primary aggressor and was placed under arrest for domestic assault.
30 year old Gregory Mark Guidry of Puckett’s Point Road, Smithville is charged domestic assault. His bond is $5,000 and he will be in court October 16. Sheriff Ray said that on Sunday, September 21 a deputy was dispatched to a residence on Puckett’s Point Road for a physical domestic. When he arrived, the officer spoke with a woman who said her son, Guidry, had come to her bedroom door asking for her medication. When she refused to give it to him, Guidry kicked in the door and entered her room. He then jumped on top of her and began punching her in the face and head. As she called 911, Guidry grabbed the phone and broke it. He then went through the home and busted out all the windows and the glass in the back door before leaving the scene. The woman suffered a black eye and had a knot on her head and marks on her face from the assault. After leaving the residence, the officer was called to come back as Guidry had returned and again was demanding medication from his mother. While there, Guidry had busted two television sets in the home with a hammer before leaving again prior to the officer’s arrival. However, the deputy was still on the scene when Guidry returned a third time. Guidry was placed under arrest and brought to the sheriff’s department for booking.
51 year old John Wayne Warner of Big Hill Road, Liberty is charged with a second offense of driving under the influence and a third offense of driving on a revoked or suspended license. He was further issued a citation for no insurance. His bond is $8,000 and he will be in court October 16. Sheriff Ray said that on Sunday, September 21 a deputy was dispatched to Short Mountain Highway in response to a traffic accident. The officer arrived and spoke with the driver, Warner. He had a strong odor of alcohol on his person and he was unsteady on his feet. Warner performed poorly on field sobriety tasks. A computer check revealed his license were revoked for driving under the influence in 1991. He had another DUI in 2005. Warner was arrested and taken to the hospital for a blood withdrawal and then to the jail for booking.
53 year old Donald Gene Rigsby of Holmes Creek Road, Smithville is charged with public intoxication. His bond is $1,500 and he will be in court October 9. Sheriff Ray said that on Friday, September 19 a deputy was called to check out a report of a man on a bicycle who was weaving into lanes of traffic on Highway 56 south. Upon arrival, Rigsby approached the officer’s vehicle and asked the deputy if he could give him a ride. Rigsby’s speech was slurred and he was unsteady on his feet. He had a strong odor of alcohol on his person. Rigsby was placed under arrest for his safety and that of the public.
33 year old Kristopher Doyle Hale of Jennings Lane, Smithville is charged with driving under the influence. He was further cited for driving on roadways laned for travel, reckless endangerment, and violation of the child restraint device law. His bond is $1,500 and he will make a court appearance on October 9. Sheriff Ray said that on Friday, September 19 a 2002 Dodge Stratus crossed Highway 70 from Terrell Lane to Evins Mill Road in front of a deputy who was patrolling in the area. The incident caused the officer to have to slam on his brakes to avoid an accident. The deputy followed the car on Evins Mill Road and saw it run into a ditch. The officer pulled over to investigate and found the driver to be Hale. While speaking with Hale, the deputy noticed a strong odor of alcohol on his person. Hale also had a 22 month old child in the car with him but the youngster was not in a child safety seat. Hale said he had been drinking and submitted to field sobriety tasks in which he performed poorly. He also submitted to a blood draw and was placed under arrest.