ON WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2010, THE JACKSON COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT RECEIVED INFORMATION THAT THE OCCUPANTS OF A LOCAL MOTEL WERE POSSIBLY MANUFACTURING METHAMPHETAMINE.

SHERIFF DAVID LUCAS, CHIEF DEPUTY CHARLES VAUGHN, INVESTIGATOR DAVID PLATT AND SERGEANT GREG IVEY RESPONDED TO THE CALL. SERGEANT IVEY THEN MADE CONTACT WITH THE OCCUPANTS OF THE ROOM AS THEY WERE ARGUING. A SHORT TIME LATER THE SHERIFF AND OTHER OFFICERS ARRIVED.

THE OCCUPANTS OF THE ROOM WERE IDENTIFIED AS BEING TRACY L. SMITH OF BATESVILLE AND PENNY S. JASPER OF BATESVILLE. AT THAT TIME, THE OFFICERS OBSERVED A "ONE POT" METHAMPHETAMINE LAB INSIDE THE MOTEL ROOM ALONG WITH OTHER ITEMS USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF METHAMPHETAMINE. A LATER SEARCH OF THE SUSPECT'S VEHICLE REVEALED OTHER ITEMS USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF METHAMPHETAMINE.

BASED ON THE OFFICER'S FINDINGS, BOTH SMITH AND JASPER WERE TRANSPORTED TO THE JACKSON COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT DETENTION CENTER ON CHARGES OF MANUFACTURING METHAMPHETAMINE, POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA WITH INTENT TO MANUFACTURE METHAMPHETAMINE, POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA AND POSSESSION OF PSEUDOEPHEDRINE WITH INTENT TO MANUFACTURE METHAMPHETAMINE.

ON FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2010, BOTH SMITH AND JASPER APPEARED IN NEWPORT DISTRICT COURT WHERE THEY WERE ARRAIGNED ON THE CHARGES. SMITH'S BOND WAS SET AT $50,000.00 AND JASPER'S BOND WAS SET AT $30,000.00 AND THEY WERE BOTH ORDERED TO APPEAR IN JACKSON COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT.