St. Charles City Council Green Lights Meth Clean-Up Bill

The ordinance will set procedures for the testing and decontamination of homes that have been used for meth production.

Members of the St. Charles City Council decided unanimously to sponsor a bill setting regulations for the testing, decontamination and re-occupying of structures in the city have have been used for the manufacturing of methanphetamine. Community Development Director Bruce Evans spoke to the board first about the issue.  "The manufacturing of meth is a problem in our society. I would need to ask the Chief to verify, but we've had four or five meth busts already this year," he said. Evans said that the city didn't have a good ordinance currently to deal with those structures, to make sure that they have been decontaminated and safe enough to allow them to be occupied. The city uses "whatever is on the books" currently to declare the homes …

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Police: Man Nabbed For Making Meth Five Months After Lab Explosion Burned Woman

Dale Lenze Sr. is accused of attempting to make meth and possessing meth

A St. Charles County man faces a second methamphetamine charge about five months after a meth lab exploded on his property near Wentzville, burning a woman and setting fire to his barn. Dale Lenze Sr., 53, was charged Jan. 31 with attempt to manufacture a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. A St. Charles County Sheriff’s deputy accompanied a Social Services employee to check on the welfare of children living in a home in the 2800 block of Essex Street in St. Charles County near St. Charles. Inside the home, the deputy smelled a strong chemical odor and spotted several ingredients commonly used to cook meth. He alerted the St. Charles County Regional Drug Task Force, which sent a …

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Joe Scott

8:33 pm on Sunday, May 5, 2013

Several comments have been removed. Let's stick to the terms of service, watch the language and no accusations of criminal activity unless there have been charges brought.   more ›

Fighting Couple Brings Officers to Motel Meth Lab, Police Say

A St. Charles police officer responding to a domestic dispute also finds a meth lab in a Arch Budget Motel room.

A couple in a domestic dispute also were cooking methamphetamine in their St. Charles motel room on Sunday, St. Charles Police said. James Carver, 34, of the 400 block of South Cadillac in St. Charles, and Marijon Dawn Ludwig, 34, each were charged Monday with accessory to manufacturing a controlled substance within 2,000 feet of a school and producing a controlled substance with intent to distribute. An officer responded to a violent domestic disturbance call at the Arch Budget Motel at 3717 Veterans Memorial Parkway in St. Charles. The room is within 800 feet of Willie Harris Elementary School, 2800 Old Muegge Road. St. Charles Police said the officer separated the couple and the woman asked him to retrieve cash from some of her clothing…

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Neil-lio

3:19 pm on Tuesday, May 14, 2013

he looks like such a nice young man!   more ›

St. Charles Residents Charged in DEA Investigation into Meth Ring

The two-year investigation brought charges against 30 people in St. Louis and St. Charles counties.

Two St. Charles Residents Charged in Two-Year DEA Investigation into Meth Ring

The two-year investigation brought charges against 30 people in St. Louis and St. Charles counties.

Two St. Charles residents were among those charged as a result of a two-year U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency investigation into methamphetamine production in St. Louis County. The arrests and charges were mostly in North and Northwest St. Louis County. Michael L. Southard, 48, of the 3700 block of Runnymede Lane in St. Charles, was charged with manufacturing a controlled substance, possessing drug-related items with the intent to make meth, DEA agents reported that Southard admitted to making meth more than 100 times between Dec. 1, 2009 through June 29, 2011. During that time, he bought more than 20 grams of pseudoephedrine to use in making meth, according to the DEA report. He was arrested June 19, 2011 on active warrants, and police said …

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Zephrex-D: Meth Busting Allergy Drug Now Available at Walgreens

New drug is being tested in St. Charles, St. Louis counties.

Zephrex D, a cold medication that can't be used to make meth, is now rolling out in Walgreens stores across St. Charles County.  Zephrex-D is manufactured by Maryland Heights based Highland Pharmaceuticals. Westport Pharmaceuticals is a subsidiary of Highland. Paul Hemings, with Westport Pharmaceuticals, said that in addition to Walgreens, Zephrex-D will be in two more major pharmacies in the St. Louis areas in the next week or two.   Hemings is holding off on making the two additional pharmacies public citing privacy agreements with the companies. Overall, Zephrex-D is only being sold in the St. Louis market, including St. Louis, St. Charles and Jefferson counties. "It's a small launch in a test market," Hemings tells Patch.  "It's a big …

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Police: Man Made Meth in St. Charles Extended Stay Hotel Room

Drug Task Force detectives said the lab was within 2,000 feet of a day care.

A St. Charles man faces criminal charges for making methamphetamine at an extended stay hotel, less than 2,000 feet from a daycare. Mark A. Gamache, 34, of St. Charles was charged Thursday with manufacturing methamphetamine within 2,000 feet of a daycare. St. Charles County Drug Task Force detectives said Gamache asked an informant to provide him with chemicals used to make meth, including pseudoephedrine, Coleman camp fuel and lithium batteries. He asked the informant to meet him on a parking lot at South Old Highway 94 and Town West Drive, a task force member said. Once the delivery was made, detectives arrested Gamache. They said Gamache admitted he was going to use the chemicals to make meth, according to court documents. Detectives …

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Couple Arrested With Meth Chemicals, Crack and Marijuana

Police spotted said they began watching the man, a meth user, in a Bridgeton Walgreens parking lot, according to court documents.

A St. Charles man faces drug charges after an Oct. 2 traffic stop near Friedens and southbound Highway 94. James J. Vitale, 47, of the 100 block of Hastings Way in St. Charles, was charged Wednesday with possession of chemicals with intent to make a controlled substance, controlled substance possession and marijuana possession. A St. Charles County Drug Task Force detective reported that police spotted Vitale sitting in his truck in a Walgreen’s parking lot at 12345 St. Charles Rock Road in Bridgeton. Vitale was known as a methamphetamine user, according to the Drug Task Force report. Vitale soon was joined by a woman, and they drove into St. Charles. Police pulled them near at Friedens Road and southbound Highway 94 after Vitale failed to…

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Mike Budd

3:22 pm on Thursday, October 25, 2012

Two boxes of pseudoephedrine and that's it... Hence the new ordinance requiring a doctor's prescription, as explained here by Gabrielle: http://townandcountry-manchester.patch.com/articles/a-prescription-is-now-required-for-allergy-medications-in-manchester-pseudoephedrine-meth Let's hope that the new meth-resistant product, Zephrex-D, will come soon, with the same effectiveness and price as …   more ›

Drug Task Force Busts Clandestine Meth Cook, Detectives Say

The lab was operating in the 1100 block of Dardenne in St. Charles, detectives said.

St. Charles County Drug Task Force detectives said they arrested a clandestine meth cook Monday in the 1100 block of Dardenne in St. Charles. Joseph A. Schaffner, 40, was charged Tuesday with attempting to manufacture a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance. His last known address was in the 800 block of Riderwood Drive in Hazelwood. A Drug Task Force detective said he was struck by an overwhelming chemical odor when he entered the house, and his eyes were irritated by the strong smell. Detectives said the homeowner, a suspect in a separate drug case, had given them permission to search the home and provided a door key to the house. The homeowner said he allowed Schaffner to stay in his house because he is homeless…

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