Christopher Eugene Konkle

WARSAW — Warsaw City Police responded to a battery at a Warsaw residence and discovered a one-pot meth lab.

Christopher Eugene Konkle, 42, 415 S. Detroit St., Warsaw, is being charged with count I dealing in methamphetamine, a level 5 felony, count II possession of methamphetamine, a level 6 felony, count III possession of a syringe, a level 6 felony, and count IV possession of two or more chemical reagents or precursors with intent to manufacture a controlled substance, a level 6 felony.

On Jan. 22, an officer with the Warsaw Police Department responded to a battery at a Detroit Street residence.

When the officer arrived on scene they spoke to a female who was visibly upset and yelling that she wanted to get her things at leave the residence but Konkle was not allowing her. She advised officers where her clothes were in the bedroom and Konkle allowed the officer inside to retrieve the clothing.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, while the officer was gathering the clothing they witnessed a glass smoking device with burnt residue and a hypodermic syringe, both within plain view. Based on past training and experience, the officer recognized the device to be consistent with narcotic paraphernalia.

The female had an active body attachment and was arrested and transported to Kosciusko County Jail.

Officers obtained a search warrant and served it to Konkle. Officers searched the residence and recovered the observed smoking device, a hollow pen tube with a powdery substance, a hollow metal tube with burnt residue, plastic cap with a length of plastic tubing, two hypodermic syringes and lithium batteries. The hollow pen and plastic tubing were field tested, both testing positive for methamphetamine.

In the bedroom officers also found several hollow tubes with residue, two single hypodermic syringes, a bag of syringes and a grinder. In the kitchen officers found a metal spoon that field tested positive for methamphetamine, and four more syringes.

The affidavit goes on to state that in the back yard officers found a white bag that contained a plastic bottle that contained a brown colored sludge with black flakes, gold beads and a cloudy liquid substance. Officers used past training to identify the bottle as a one-pot meth lab. A positive test of ammonia gas verified the one-pot meth lab. In the residence crawl space officers further found sodium hydroxide, sulfuric acid and ammonium nitrate, all chemical reagents used to manufacture meth.

According to the affidavit, Konkle admitted to owning the one-pot lab, precursors and some of the syringes, stating that he manufactures meth for his own personal use.

Konkle was arrested and booked into Kosciusko County Jail on Jan. 23 with a $10,250 surety and cash bond.