Press Release

March 1, 2010

-Princeton-

Joseph R. Thomas, age 33, Princeton, was sentenced today in Gibson Circuit Court to twelve (12) years prison following his admission that he manufactured methamphetamines at his mobile home in Princeton.  Thomas pled guilty without a plea agreement to eleven charges, including Manufacturing of a Schedule II Controlled Substance Methamphetamine), a Class B felony as well as to the D felony counts of Possession of Chemical Reagents or Precursors, Possession of Marijuana with a Prior Conviction, and five counts of Possession of a Controlled Substance without a Prescription (Xanax, Lorazepam, Clonazepam, Synthroid, and Flexeril).  Thomas also pled guilty to the misdemeanor charges of Resisting Law Enforcement, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Obstructing a Firefighter.  Judge Jeff Meade pronounced the 12 year sentence to the Indiana Department of Correction after listening to arguments from both Gibson County Prosecutor Robert Krieg and Defense Attorney Michael Cochren. 

On June 23, 2009, Princeton Police Officers responded to a call about a potential meth lab at a mobile home located at Sandy Acres Mobile Home Park in Princeton.  Upon arriving, officers discovered smoke coming from a trailer located at 3214 W. Hickory Street.  According to an affidavit submitted by Detective Mike Hurt, officers knocked on the door of the trailer and Joseph R. Thomas opened the door a little but wouldn’t open it any further once he realized it was the police knocking.  Thomas refused an order by law enforcement to get out of the burning trailer, so PPD Officer Jason Swan subdued Thomas by tasering him.  Patoka Fire Territory Officer Chad Butts then entered the mobile home to determine the source of the smoke and discovered it was coming from an active meth lab. 

While conducting a search of the trailer, officers found Thomas’ girlfriend Sarah Barton hiding in the closet.  Barton told officers she was hiding because she knew what was going on with the meth lab.  Officers located in the mobile home many items necessary to manufacture methamphetamines, including sulfuric acid, lithium batteries and Ammonium Nitrate.  Ammonium Nitrate is a key ingredient used in “shake and bake” meth labs and can be highly explosive.

Gibson County Prosecutor Robert Krieg argued at sentencing that Thomas should be given a sentence greater than the B felony advisory sentence of ten (10) years for a number of reasons including that Thomas chose to cook meth in a trailer park where many other families live, including families with very young children.  Krieg said that nearly every person in Gibson County should be educated on the dangers of making meth, and that Thomas put many peoples’ lives and properties in jeopardy by cooking meth at Sandy Acres.  He noted that the lab was already smoking and that an explosion or fire could have occurred at any time.  In attempting to mitigate the sentence, Defense Attorney Cochren stated that his client has been an addict for over 15 years and needed extensive rehabilitation, but Krieg countered that Thomas already received counseling a few years earlier after being convicted of possessing marijuana and that Thomas ignored the lessons and advice he had received.

Krieg stated that this particular lab is an example of the dangers of manufacturing meth using the “shake and bake” method.  The Ammonium Nitrate used in this method is found in instant ice packs.  Prosecutor Krieg last fall sent a letter to local pharmacies and other retailers to educate them on the “shake and bake” method and asking them to help keep an eye out for suspicious activity involving the purchase of large amounts of instant ice packs.

Co-Defendant Sarah Barton, age 24, Princeton, was sentenced in September, 2009 in Gibson Superior Court to eight (8) years prison following her admission that she helped manufacture methamphetamines at her boyfriend Thomas’ mobile home.  Barton pled guilty without a plea agreement to two charges, including Manufacturing of a Controlled Substance, a Class B felony as well as to the D felony count of Possession of Chemical Reagents or Precursors.  Judge Earl Penrod ordered that the first 2 years of Barton’s 8 year sentence be served in the Indiana Department of Correction with the remaining 6 years to be served on probation.  As a condition of probation, Barton must serve 1 year at the Lighthouse Recovery Center in Washington, IN.  The Lighthouse Recovery Center is an intense, in-patient recovery center that works to rehabilitate methamphetamine addicts.  A sentencing hearing was held today because Thomas also pled guilty without the benefit of a plea agreement.

PRINCETON MAN GETS 12YEARS FOR METH MANUFACTURING (Thomas)

“Fire occurs after ‘Shake and Bake’ method used to manufacture meth”