web1_Irem-board-3.jpg

Irem Temple group releases information on directors

web1_Letter-to-the-editor2.jpg

Your view: Bring common sense back to the country

<p>DALLAS &#8212; A police officer&#8217;s &#8220;trash pull&#8221; resulted in the alleged discovery of several active meth labs and three people arrested on charges they were manufacturing drugs.</p><p>Kristy Noel Mendygral, 34, and Joseph Francis Smith, 37, both of 186 Huntsville Road, Dallas, were arraigned Tuesday in Luzerne County Court after police say they were cooking methamphetamine inside their residence.</p><p>After the alleged lab was discovered in the Huntsville Road home, police learned Smith was also cooking meth at 174 E. 42nd St. in Dallas Township where Janet Elizabeth Mannear, 39, was arrested.</p><p>Police obtained a search warrant for the Huntsville Road residence after inspecting trash from the house.</p><p>A 1989 state Supreme Court case, Commonwealth v. Perdue, permits warrantless search and seizure of garbage left for collection. Garbage at curbside is considered abandoned property, the Supreme Court ruled.</p><p>In this case, police conducted a &#8220;trash pull&#8221; for the residence early Monday, inspecting eight bags left in canisters that were next to the road for pickup.</p><p>According to criminal complaints:</p><p>In the trash, police found prescription labels in Mendygral&#8217;s name; open blister packages that had contained pseudoephedrine products; receipts for lithium batteries; an empty bottle of drain cleaner; used syringes; instant cold compresses that were cut open; and a bottle wrapped in plastic wrap that had a strong chemical odor.</p><p>Many of those items are commonly associated with meth production, and that led police to obtain a search warrant for the residence.</p><p>When the warrant was served Monday afternoon, police found packaging and ingredients used to manufacture meth in the basement, including four active cooking sites.</p><p>A state police clandestine lab team processed the trash bags and residence.</p><p>While interviewing Mendygral and Smith, police learned Smith was also cooking meth at Mannear&#8217;s residence. There, they found two bottles of an unknown liquid, a gallon of muriatic acid, a bottle of drain cleaner containing syringes, two cold packs, and plastic tubing with residue.</p><p>Muriatic acid is used to clean concrete and bricks, and it&#8217;s also used to cook meth.</p><p>In addition, officers found a text message on Mannear&#8217;s cell phone from Smith regarding a bottle with a tube. Mannear sent a message to Smith, indicating she moved the bottle before her father arrived home.</p><p>Mendygral and Smith were charged with four counts each of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, two counts each of manufacture of a controlled substance, and one count each of operating a meth lab, disposing of chemical waste, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.</p><p>Mendygral and Smith were jailed at the county lockup for lack of $15,000 and $25,000 bail, respectively.</p><p>Mannear was charged with possession with intent to deliver, possession of paraphernalia and criminal use of a communication facility. She was jailed for lack of $5,000 bail.</p><style>
.neFileBlock {
	margin-bottom: 20px;
}
.neFileBlock p {
	margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;
}
.neFileBlock .neFile {
	border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa;
	padding-bottom: 5px;
	padding-top: 10px;
}
.neFileBlock .neCaption {
	font-size: 85%;
}
</style>
<div class='neFileBlock'>
<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/web1_web1_police-lights20181993941226-1-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption"></div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/web1_web1_police-lights20181993941226-1-1.jpg</photo0><caption0></caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Ed Lewis</p><p>elewis@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div>

Police: Three arrested after meth evidence found in ‘trash pull’ in Dallas