Officers with the sheriff's office and the Sallisaw Police Department reported that they received information that the occupants of the first home were manufacturing and distributing large amounts of methamphetamine. Upon arrival at the home, officers found that the driveway leading to the home was blocked by a locked gate. The short delay caused by having to cut the lock gave the occupants enough time to dump hazardous chemicals and flee the home, Philpot said.
Officers saw two suspects fleeing the home into a wooded area. One suspect, Robert Peterson, was apprehended.
Peterson, 51, was booked into the Sequoyah County jail in Sallisaw on charges of endeavoring to manufacture a controlled dangerous substance, possession of a controlled dangerous substance and drug paraphernalia, and obstructing an officer. Peterson has two former convictions on drug-related felonies. He is being held without bond.
Philpot said paperwork will be submitted to the district attorney's office to get an arrest warrant for the second suspect who was not apprehended.
Officers found a large alleged drug lab in operation in the home. The home was cleared, and officers made an attempt to shut the power off outside the home in order to shut down the lab, but it was then discovered that the lab had its own power source. Officers equipped with self-contained breathing apparatuses entered the home and manually shut down the lab.
Officers seized a large amount of chemicals and equipment commonly used in the manufacture of methamphetamine, substances appearing to be marijuana and methamphetamine, and several loaded firearms.
Officers at the scene said that encountering a "hot lab," a lab that is in operation, presents an extremely dangerous situation, Philpot said. While a hot lab is something officers don't encounter often, when they do, they take every precaution necessary to ensure the safety of everyone involved.
Philpot said labs are not the only hazards that officers encounter when serving search warrants. He said the terrain can also be round enough to take its toll on officers. During the serving of this search warrant, one officer was injured due to the rough terrain. The officer was transported to Sequoyah Memorial Hospital in Sallisaw where he was treated and released.
As a result of information gathered during the first search warrant, officers obtained a search warrant at a second home in the Hopper's Corner area.
Officers found a quantity of a white powder substance appearing to be methamphetamine at the home.
Margaret Elizabeth Edwards, 44, of Vian was arrested and booked into the county jail on charges of possession of a controlled dangerous substance and drug paraphernalia. Edwards has one former felony conviction, and she is being held in lieu of an $11,000 bond, Philpot said.
