(Editor’s note: A name listed in the police report regarding this incident was misspelled. It has been corrected. We regret this error.)
Four people were arrested early Tuesday when Arkansas City police discovered what is thought to be a potentially volatile methamphetamine lab in a small apartment building in the downtown area, police chief Sean Wallace said.
Just after 1 a.m., officers served a search warrant on the home at 216 E. Fifth and located four people in or around the residence. Several items were recovered and are believed to have been used to operate a clandestine meth lab.
All materials were to undergo testing to confirm their use in drug production, Wallace said in a written statement.
Initial investigation by the Cowley County Drug Task Force indicates the lab was one that used the "one pot cook" method, he said. The process is particularly volatile during the cooking process and is prone to suddenly exploding.
The task force and Ark City Police were assisted by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation’s High Risk Warrant Team. Investigators were at the scene for several hours.
Multiple samples have been collected and are being forwarded to the KBI lab for processing and testing.
Those arrested were:
Erica Dawn Arndt, 27, Ark City. She faces charges that could include possession of meth manufacturing paraphernalia, possession of meth with intent to sell within 1,000 feet of a school and possession of drug paraphernalia. Her bond is set at $106,000.
Elizabeth Diane Harbert, 25, Ark City. She faces charges that could include possession of meth manufacturing paraphernalia, possession of meth with intent to sell within 1,000 feet of a school and possession of drug paraphernalia. Her bond is set at $106,000.
Nathan Shane Topper, 29, Ark City. He faces charges that could include possession of meth manufacturing paraphernalia and possession of meth with intent to sell within 1,000 feet of a school. His bond is set at $105,000.
Billy Don Henson, 28, Ark City, He faces charges that could include possession of meth manufacturing paraphernalia and possession of meth with intent to sell within 1,000 feet of a school. His bond is set at $105,000.
The location of Tuesday’s bust is shown on an interactive map below:
