Dec 22, 2015 2 min read

WAYNESBURG – A West Virginia man arrested in March for operating a methamphetamine lab in a house in Crucible pleaded guilty last week in Greene County Court.

Jeffrey Lloyd Guthrie, 34, of Morgantown, pleaded guilty Thursday to operating a meth lab, possession of red phosphorous with intent to manufacture a controlled substance, illegal disposing of meth waste and possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia.

A charge of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance was withdrawn as part of the plea agreement.

Greene County President Judge Farley Toothman sentenced Guthrie to 9 months to 3 years in jail. In addition to the jail sentence, Guthrie was ordered to perform 200 hours of community service, pay $300 in fines and $812.80 in restitution to the clandestine lab response team that was called to dispose of chemicals found in the house.

Two Cumberland Township police officers went to 433 Fifth Ave. March 18 to talk to the owner after receiving information about the operation of a meth lab at the house, according to court documents. Guthrie answered the door and said he would get the owner, Shannon Hughes. Hughes came to the door and invited the officers inside to talk.

Police said when they entered the house they saw items used to make meth in plain view on the floor. They said they asked and received permission from Hughes to search the house.

Guthrie later told police he manufactured meth about 10 times in the past. He told them items in a book bag in the house, including ingredients to make meth, belonged to him.

The state police clandestine lab response team was called to dispose of the chemicals used to make meth. They removed fuel, tubing, glass beakers, red phosphorous, ammonium sulfate, sulfuric acid, lithium and other chemicals from the residence.