MAN SENTENCED TO 62 YEARS FOR METH PRODUCTION

A Lafayette man convicted of cooking methamphetamine in a north-end
garage was sentenced Thursday to 62 years in prison.

Jurors found [name1 redacted], 33, guilty of conspiracy to manufacture
methamphetamine, a Class A felony, and information of illegal drug
lab, a Class C felony, following a two-day trial last month in
Tippecanoe Superior Court 1.

Judge Randy Williams then found [name1 redacted] guilty of being a
habitual offender -- a punishment enhancement that accounted for
significant number of years to Thursday's sentence.

Fletcher was one of three people charged after the Lafayette Police
Department's Street Crimes Unit found an active meth lab in a garage
at [address redacted] on Oct. 21, 2009.

According to court documents, his co-defendants, [name2 redacted], 33,
and [name3 redacted], 32, both of Lafayette, were inside the garage.

[name1 redacted] was not there, but he was named as a participant by
[name3 redacted].

[name1 redacted] testified during last month's trial, asserting that
he was not involved. However, items found inside the garage were
linked to [name1 redacted], including a large container of salt
purchased that morning at a Lafayette grocery store.

Salt can be combined with other ingredients to finish cooking
meth.

[name1 redacted] did not speak at Thursday's sentencing hearing. His
prison term will be followed by eight years on probation.

[name3 redacted] pleaded guilty earlier this month for his
involvement. [name2 redacted] is scheduled to plead guilty this
morning in Superior Court 1.