By NATASHA BRENNEMAN
Staff Writer
Four people charged in connection with an alleged methamphetamine lab in Clarion County waived their preliminary hearings in the case Tuesday.
Charges filed against Tearia Bailey, 27, of Clarion, Kassie Deloe, 29, of Rimersburg, Deana Wright, 48, of Clarion, and Conner Griffith, 22, of Knox will now be bound over for further proceedings in the Court of Common Pleas.
The charges stem from an incident on April 14, 2015, when a search warrant was executed at the residence of Teddy K. Wensel at 75 North 4th Avenue in Clarion, according to a criminal complaint filed through district judge Timothy Schill’s office.
Clarion Borough police officer William Peck located Wensel and an adult woman in an upstairs bedroom with tubing attached to a bottle cap, several lithium batteries and a spoon with white residue, the complaint said.
Police said all the items are consistent with the process of making methamphetamine.
Peck later interviewed Wensel, who allegedly admitted he had manufactured methamphetamine and discarded the items along the roads in Piney Township.
Wensel identified Bailey, Deloe, Wright and Griffith as others who played a role in the operation by purchasing Sudafed as an ingredient and/or taking part in the process of making the drug., the complaint said.
Bailey is facing two felony counts of conspiracy – manufacture, deliver or possession with intent to manufacture or deliver, two felony counts of possessing red phosphorus and two misdemeanor counts of knowingly possessing ephedrine.
Wright has been charged with nine felony counts of conspiracy – manufacture, deliver or possession with intent to manufacture or deliver, nine felony counts of possession of red phosphorus and nine misdemeanor counts of knowingly possessing ephedrine.
Griffith is facing three felony counts of manufacture, possession or delivery with intent to manufacture or deliver, three felony counts of possessing of red phosphorus and three misdemeanor counts of knowingly possessing ephedrine.
Deloe is facing two felony counts of manufacture, possession or delivery with intent to manufacture or deliver and two felony counts of possessing of red phosphorus.
Deloe remains in the Venango County jail on $25,000 bail, while Griffith, Wright and Bailey are free on bail.
Police said their investigation into the incident is continuing and that more arrests are coming.