JONESBORO, Ark. – As an investigator watched a suspect leave a house known for manufacturing and sale of drugs, he was able to follow that lead to the discovery of a meth lab at home in question.
At 5:45 p.m. Saturday evening, May 13, Investigator Bryan Bailey with Jonesboro Police Department was patrolling the 1200-block of Floyd, his incident report says, when he noticed two men in a white 2006 Chevrolet Impala leave a residence, 1208 North Floyd. Bailey said he had previously been given information about illegal narcotics use and possibly manufacturing of narcotics at this residence.
Bailey tailed the suspect vehicle as it pulled into the Tobacco Store on Gee Street, before heading northbound on Gee again. Investigator Jason Chester pulled behind the vehicle, while Bailey followed behind Chester. The report says the vehicle signaled and immediately switched lanes to the inside lane. Since the vehicle did not signal 100 feet prior to switching lanes, Chester initiated the traffic stop as the vehicle was turning back onto Floyd.
Bailey approached the passenger side of the vehicle, identifying Scotty John Gunter, 41, of Jonesboro (pictured above). The report says Gunter said he lived at 1208 North Floyd and had been arrested in 2016 for possession of methamphetamine. He said he was currently on probation, but Bailey said he wouldn’t look the officer in the eyes while speaking and seemed to shy away from conversation. A search of Gunter’s person yielded no illegal contraband.
With Gunter on probation, Bailey informed him they were going to his house and conducting a search.
“Y’all can’t search my house,” Gunter said, according to Bailey’s report.
However, officers could now search the residence previously suspected of drug use and manufacturing. Under the probation terms signed by Gunter, one must submit to search of a person, place or residence, vehicle or other property at any time, without warrant, when an officer requests. He was placed into custody and transported to his home for the search to continue. Officers soon learned why he was hesitant.
“I asked Gunter if there was any illegal narcotics or active methamphetamine labs that could possibly harm any of us,” Bailey reported. “Gunter advised that in the living room there was a lab and components for a lab. Gunter stated that there were three lines of methamphetamine on a tray along with some used syringes. Gunter advised that he cooked off a batch the night prior and the components and remains were from that batch that he cooked off.”
Once inside, police located coffee filters with residue, a straw with residue used as a tooter, three used syringes, two aluminum foil boats with burn marks and residue, two glass pipes/tooters and a red ketchup bottle that contained suspected acid mixture and was smoking out of the bottle. There were also cold packs sitting on the couch beside the filters and bottle. Gunter advised police his bottle that he used to cook was sitting out back on the porch with the cooked off components still inside of it.
Gunter was arrested and taken to Craighead County Detention Center. He was turned over to booking officers and left in lieu of a Probable Cause Hearing on the charges of Manufacturing Methamphetamine, Possession of Meth or Cocaine L/T 2 Grams and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
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