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Warren Pair Jailed After Meth Lab Bust

WARREN, Pa. — The two men charged in connection with a meth lab bust in Warren on Tuesday are held in the County Jail on $250,000 bail.

Joshua Max Lambert, 29, 6 Terrace St., Apt. 1, and Joshua Darryl Wightman, 30, were arrested by agents of the Warren County Drug Task Force after the Tuesday sting.

Charges were filed against the two on Wednesday and both were preliminarily arraigned by District Justice Glenn Carlson on Wednesday morning.

Wightman has been charged with possession with intent to deliver, conspiracy (possession with intent to deliver), possession of a controlled substance, possession of red phosphorus, etc. with the intent to manufacture controlled substances, operating a methamphetamine lab and four counts of risking catastrophe.

Lambert has been charged with possession with intent to deliver, conspiracy (possession with intent to deliver), possession of a controlled substance, possession of red phosphorous, etc. with intent to manufacture controlled substances, operating a methamphetamine lab, deposits/stores/disposes chemical waste and four counts of risking catastrophe.

Task Force investigators originally received information that Lambert was involved in manufacturing meth on November 27, according to the affidavit of probable cause, which is the same for each defendant.

They went to his residence and observed a dumpster.

“Investigators inspected the inside of the dumpster and located a black trash bag,” authorities said in the affidavit. “Investigators inspected the inside of the dumpster and located a several plastic bottles.”

Such bottles can be used in the manufacture of meth.

Investigators then took the trashbag to a “secure location” and found a litany of items that point to meth making: “numerous opened packages of cold compresses… several plastic baggies containing disassembled batteries with the lithium strips removed, coffee filters, two empty package of CVS cold medicine that contained pseudoephedrine and two empty blisterpacks, numerous cans of lighter fluid, numerous plastic bottles containing a powdery residue, plastic tubing, (and a) syringe.”

Police explained in the affidavit that those items are “most likely associated with the ‘shake and bake’ method of manufacturing methamphetamine. These clandestine labs often contain toxic and explosive ingredients.” that “produce dangerous gases that may expose guests and neighbors to home” as well as the producer.

On Wednesday, Task Force investigators observed a vehicle belonging to Wightman, “also a known methamphetamine user and manufacturer” parked in the lot at Lambert’s residence.

“A check of law enforcement databases revealed that on November 28, 2016, (Wightman) bought 2.4 grams of medication containing pseudoephedrine in Warren County.”

A search warrant was obtained for the residence and the vehicle which resulted in investigators taking Wightman and Lambert into custody.

“Investigators noted that the apartment was filled with smoke, which was found to be coming from the active methamphetamine laboratory,” authorities said in the affidavit.

Four other tenants in the apartment building were evacuated and the City of Warren Fire Department and Pennsylvania State Police Clandestine Lab Team responded to the scene.

Police interviewed Lambert who told police that Wightman taught him how to produce methamphetamine and said that “he has produced approximately 20-30 batches of methamphetamine,” according to the affidavit. Lambert “stated that (Wightman) had a lab actively cooking when he arrived at his apartment.”

Wightman told police that he learned how to make meth while living in Georgia and said that Lambert “learned how to manufacture methamphetamine by watching him do it,” also according to the affidavit.

The Pennsylvania State Police Clandestine Lab Team “determined that the findings inside the apartment were that of a methamphetamine laboratory and noted that one of the bottles being used during the ‘shake and bake’ method was still actively cooking.”

Online court records show that both men will be in court for a preliminary hearing on December 7 at 11 a.m.

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