A husband and wife face narcotics charges after they almost burned down their house when lawmen arrived for a surprise raid.
The suspects, Steve Dewayne Smiley, 36, and Shana Nicole Smiley, 30, are both charged with initiating the process to manufacture meth, possession of drugs, tampering with evidence, and manufacture of drugs.
Mr. Smiley faces additional counts of possession of a weapon by a felon and possession of a weapon during the commission of a felony. They will both face preliminary hearing before General Sessions Judge Bill Locke on Oct. 21.
According to sheriff’s investigator Jason Rowland, it wasn’t drugs that originally brought officers to the Smiley residence on Cardinal Drive in the northern end of the county.
“We had information Mr. Smiley could be in possession of a stolen four-wheeler,” said Rowland, noting a distinct smell immediately told officers they had come upon a meth lab. “The officers could smell a chemical odor they knew to be associated with the manufacture of methamphetamine.”
Rowland said officers knocked on the door, but no one answered.
“Officers could hear a lot of movement inside,” Rowland said.
Deputies found Ms. Smiley in the rear of the home after hearing something break.
“There was smoke coming from the rear of the home,” Rowland said, noting they then worried someone might still be inside. “We asked for them to come out and no one did.”
Hearing no one call back from inside, officers entered the house and found flames. The North Warren Fire Department was called and they were able to douse the fire in short order.
Mr. Smiley was found on the property outside the house.
Once the fire was out, officers got a search warrant and found numerous items used in the production of meth, including highly flammable red phosphorous. They also found marijuana plants outside on the property.
Officers raid home, find fire inside
Meth lab also discovered on property
