METH-MAKERS TEST THE WATERS OUTSIDE WARREN COUNTY

What began as an explosion at a Murfreesboro apartment may have been the
opening shot fired in an invasion of the city by methamphetamine
traffickers relocating their operations from Warren County. The explosion
was the detonation last Wednesday of a meth lab allegedly operated by
William Jacob Barnes, 23, formerly of Warren County. The lab allegedly blew
up as Barnes was cooking the illegal narcotic in his apartment. Barnes was
treated and released at Middle Tennessee Medical Center in Murfreesboro for
burns he received in the explosion at Hunters Court apartments where he
lived. He now faces charges of meth manufacture and aggravated arson.

Murfreesboro police say they found 11 grams of freshly manufacture meth
inside Barnes apartment following the explosion, an amount valued at $1,760.

The discovery of the meth lab marked the first lab ever found in
Murfreesboro. However, it was only the tip of the iceberg, according to
Murfreesboro Vice Squad Lt. Billy Gay, who noted lawmen went on to find two
more meth labs within 48 hours following the explosion. The source of the
labs, Gay added, had a Warren County flavor as two of the three labs busted
were operated by Warren County residents.

The next lab was located Thursday night at a Motel 6 in Murfreesboro.
Police said a strange odor was reported coming from a room at the motel.
When police arrived, the two occupants fled. One suspect, Charles Nathan
Jones, 28, of Warren County, crawled into the attic area of the room as
lawmen entered. He was later caught when he crawled from the boiler room
ceiling.

Jones now faces violation of probation charges due to the fact he was on
probation for a meth conviction here earlier this year. He served 150 days
of a five-year sentence on the charges here and was forced to put his
picture in the paper, telling readers he was a meth trafficker.

His alleged partner in crime, Jody Candace Hayes, 26, of McMinnville was
found hiding in the laundry room. Both were charged with manufacture of
meth after meth-making materials were found in the room.

The round of busts ended later that evening when Melodie Stussey, 25 of
Watertown was caught with an alleged lab at a Howard Johnson motel in
Murfreesboro.

"I think we're going to have to put a border patrol at the
Rutherford-Cannon County line," Gay joked, noting the sudden appearance of
meth labs in Rutherford County has lawmen there realizing they may be
seeing the beginning of an epidemic like the one in Warren County. Gay is
familiar with the Warren County epidemic since he resides here.

"We knew sooner or later it'd be coming here since it's pretty well around
us in Warren and Cannon counties," Gay said. "We're not as experienced as
police are there in Warren County, but I think we're going to quickly get
the experience."

Gay said lawmen there are learning the sights and smells of meth labs,
something he believes will lead to the busts of even more labs in the near
future.

"I think we have them here, and now we're learning what to look for," Gay
said. "I believe we'll be seeing several more found in the very near future
now that we know what to look for."

Warren County Sheriff Jackie Matheny believes Murfreesboro's problems may
be the result of a greater awareness of the drug here.

"I think they're having problems getting the chemicals they need to make
the drugs," Matheny said. "A lot of merchants aren't selling the
ingredients to folks now so it's making life hard on the manufacturers here."

Gay agreed with Matheny's assessment, saying meth traffickers may be taking
advantage of Murfreesboro's inexperience.

"Jackie is doing a good job in Warren County of cracking down on the labs,
so that's probably a reason some are moving out," Gay said. "Or maybe they
just like our jail better."

(Lisa Marchesoni of the Daily News Journal contributed to this story.)