Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Officials Break Up Meth Lab

A methamphetamine lab was broken up by the Clark County Sheriff's Office recently.

This resulted in the arrest of 40-year-old Woody Brian Patton.

According to information from the CCSO, deputies executed a search warrant on a house on Red Hill Road near Arkadelphia Thursday, Oct. 19.

The subsequent investigation led to the seizure of evidence consistent with a methamphetamine lab and explosive devices.

The probe actually began during the night of Wednesday, Oct. 18, after Clark County Municipal Judge Randy Hill approved a search warrant. The CCSO worked with the South Central Arkansas Drug Task Force, the Arkansas State Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

While searching the house for meth lab equipment, the officers found pipe bombs and other components used in making explosive devices.

Once these bombs were found, the search was suspended until a BATF agent, along with U.S. Army experts from the Pine Bluff arsenal arrived to examine the explosives and make it safe for officers to resume their search.

The bombs were later destroyed by ordnance experts.

Officers found chemicals, glassware and other paraphernalia normally used in the manufacture of methamphetamine. Samples of the alleged drug recovered were sent to the Arkansas State Crime Lab for analysis.

Other items recovered are in the custody of the DTF.

Patton, once charges are officially filed, will likely be transferred to a federal holding facility and appear before a federal magistrate.

Methamphetamine is a Schedule II controlled substance.