DA APPALLED BY DANGERS OF METH AT APARTMENTS

District Attorney General Mike Flynn said his office will "vigorously
prosecute'' those who operate meth labs, especially those who endanger
others by the operations.

Flynn said Wednesday he was appalled by the dangers posed by someone
"cooking'' meth at Atchley Apartments.

"That was a potentially lethal situation,'' Flynn said of the Tuesday
arrest of a Madisonville man accused of manufacturing methamphetamine
at his girlfriend's apartment.

"It was very dangerous not only to those in the apartment but to
those in other apartments. There is the possibility of explosion as
well as the hazards caused by the fumes.''

Flynn said there was a ``stack of meth legislation'' introduced in the
General Assembly, but most of the proposed legislation was sent to
study committees and won't be considered until the next legislative
session.

"We're hopeful there will soon be stiffer penalties for meth
crimes,'' Flynn said. "The (Blount County Sheriff's) Narcotics Unit
has done a good job of keeping it to a minimum here in Blount County,
but it looks like we're taking a new step in the war on this drug.''

Flynn said the man arrested Tuesday at Atchley Apartments -- Michael
Lee Mason, 25, of Mason Hill Road, Madisonville -- could face up to 14
years imprisonment if he has no prior record and is convicted of
possession of methamphetamine with intent to sell or deliver and
felony possession of drug paraphernalia (the equipment and ingredients
to make meth).

Mason is also charged with manufacture of methamphetamine and
possession of marijuana. He is being held in lieu of bonds totaling
$19,750 pending a 1:30 p.m. June 23 hearing in Blount County General
Sessions Court.

Both Blount County Sheriff James Berrong and Maryville Police Chief
Tony Crisp have pledged to ``vigorously'' pursue arrest of those
involved in the manufacture or sale of methamphetamine.

Crisp said the controlled substance sometimes known as ``poor man's
cocaine'' poses problems other than those immediately apparent. While
the Drug Enforcement Administration assists local law enforcement
agencies by providing cleanup and disposal of the components of meth
labs, decontamination of the property where a lab was operating is the
responsibility of the property owner.

At present, the criteria for testing and cleanup of a residence is
apparently somewhat ambiguous. Crisp and Flynn both think this is an
area the legislature should address.

"How would you feel if you moved into a house or apartment with a
small child crawling around on a carpet you didn't know was
contaminated by the previous tenant operating a meth lab there?'' Flynn
said.

At least one local apartment complex is offering a reward to residents
who report operation of a meth lab on the property. Fliers offering
the reward were circulated Wednesday and referred to The Daily Times
story about the discovery of the meth lab at Atchley Apartments.