By TOM DISTEFANO
Staff writer
CLARION – In a sweep of alleged conspirators in a methamphetamine manufacturing operation, five people from Clarion County and two from Michigan have been charged with multiple felony counts and several are in the Clarion County Jail.
They all stem from providing meth-making materials in exchange for money or finished meth.
Clarion County Detective and CNET member William Peck IV filed most of the charges before District Judge Timothy Schill Feb. 2, and more charges may be pending.
Peck said police served a search warrant April 15, 2015, on Teddy Wensel, 47, of Clarion and found a jar containing meth and two pipes.
Wensel told Peck he had been “cooking” meth for more than a year and described the process he used to manufacture the drug in detail.
He then identified the people who allegedly purchased and provided him with decongestant pills containing pseudoephedrine, an important ingredient in making meth.
Wensel said he allegedly would cook meth at the house of Deana Ellen Wright, 48, of Clarion and she would allegedly help him and purchase boxes of decongestant for him.
Peck determined that Wright allegedly purchased nine boxes of decongestant.
Wensel said Conner David Griffith, 22, of Knox allegedly would supply him with boxes of decongestant in exchange for meth, and that sometimes Wensel would pay Griffith to purchase meth-making ingredients.
Tearia J. Bailey, 27, of Clarion allegedly purchased three or four boxes of decongestant for him, Wensel said, in exchange for meth. Peck determined Bailey allegedly purchased two boxes of decongestant between January and March of 2015.
Wensel said Kassie Carolina Deloe, 29, of Rimersburg allegedly supplied him with two boxes of decongestant in exchange for meth. Peck determined Deloe allegedly purchased decongestant twice in July of 2015.
Angel Adele Warner, 23, of Venus allegedly supplied a box of decongestant so that Wensel would make meth and sell some to obtain money to help Warner’s mother pay bills, Wensel said.
Peck determined Warner allegedly purchased a box of decongestant in January of 2015.
Wensel said Jerry Lynn Ashbaugh, 40, of St. Johns, Mich. and Robert John Ashbaugh of Lansing Mich. came to Clarion from Michigan due to a death in their family in January of 2016.
He said the Ashbaughs allegedly purchased three boxes of decongestant for him and were present when he used the three boxes to cook a batch of meth.
Police had noted the presence of the Ashbaughs’ vehicle at Wensel’s apartment at the time.
Peck determined that Jerry Ashbaugh allegedly purchased two boxes of decongestant and Robert Ashbaugh allegedly purchased one.
Each of the defendants is charged with felony conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine, felony possession of precursor chemicals with the intent to manufacture methamphetamine, and misdemeanor possession of ephedrine with intent to manufacture methamphetamine.
Wright is charged with nine counts of each; Griffith with three counts of each; Jerry Ashbaugh, Bailey and Deloe with two counts of each; and Robert Ashbaugh and Warner with one count of each.
Bailey, Griffith, Warner and Wright were placed in the Clarion County Jail. Wright, Warner and Griffith were released Feb. 6 on $25,000 bail.