Mill Spring man charged in county’s 7^th lab of year

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office discovered another methamphetamine lab last week and has arrested a Mill Spring man.

The sheriff’s office discovered the latest lab Wednesday, July 11 at the Silver Creek Community in Mill Spring, formerly known as Land of Lakes.

Scott Everette Childres, of 370 Hickory Nut Drive, Mill Spring was arrested and charged with manufacturing methamphetamine and possession/distribute methamphetamine precursor, according to sheriff’s office reports.

Childres received a $30,000 secured bond.

This is the county’s seventh meth lab discovery this year and its 10th discovery since August 2011. Officers said last week’s was classified as a medium lab. Officers said the ingredients found included instant cold packs, drain cleaner, lithium batteries and pseudoephedrine.

Several of the recent meth labs found have included bottles used to make meth, with no arrests being made.

The county’s sixth meth lab discovery this year occurred on June 27 in a mobile home park in Sunny View.  A container used to make meth was found in a field, with small propane tanks also found near the bottle.

Polk’s fourth and fifth meth labs also included the discovery of plastic bottles earlier in June, along River Road and outside a home at 89 Appaloosa Lane near Tryon.

The first three meth labs this year were discovered in January in the woods in Mill Spring with bottles being discovered in three separate locations.

Polk County’s largest meth lab in history was discovered in August 2011 in a Sunny View home. Another meth lab was discovered in Green Creek in early November 2011 and another in Lynn later in November 2011. All three of the 2011 meth lab discoveries resulted in arrests.

Prior to 2011, no meth labs had been discovered in Polk County since 2007.

Most of the meth labs discovered involved plastic bottles and chemicals used in what is known as the “shake and bake” method of cooking methamphetamine.