Staff Writer
The Tribune-Star
TERRE HAUTE — A houseful of suspects was taken into custody Wednesday in conjunction with a methamphetamine lab found alongside a Clay County road.
According to a media release issued by the Clay County Sheriff’s Department on Thursday evening, five individuals were booked into the Vigo County jail on Wednesday on meth-related allegations.
Mark Ditto, 40, of Seelyville, was arrested on allegations of manufacturing methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine, possession of precursors, possession of anhydrous, possession of paraphernalia and maintaining a common nuisance.
Frank Ford, 35, of Terre Haute, was arrested on allegations of manufacturing methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine, possession of precursors, possession of anhydrous, possession of paraphernalia and visiting a common nuisance.
Audrea Marendt, 25, of Indianapolis, Malachi House, 34, of Indianapolis, and Sara Slaughter, 33, of Clinton, were all arrested on an allegation of visiting a common nuisance.
According to the media release, Clay County deputies and Indiana conservation officers discovered the remains of an active methamphetamine lab alongside a rural Clay County road Monday. An investigation led them to obtain a search warrant for a Vigo County home owned by Ditto. The warrant was served Wednesday afternoon and police reported witnessing a “white cloud” blowing from a hole in a garage entry door, along with a strong chemical odor.
Officers from the Clay County and Vigo County sheriffs’ departments, along with members of the Vigo County Drug Task Force and Indiana State Police reportedly discovered active methamphetamine labs inside the garage and outside the residence, along with an undisclosed amount of methamphetamine and several items used in the ingestion of the drug there.
The investigation is ongoing.
