By Staff
Melissa Cason
RED BAY- A Red Bay man is in custody after authorities found a working methamphetamine lab at his residence Monday afternoon.
Franklin County District Attorney Investigator Terry Zills said Milton Charles Gaddis, 43, of 602 Seventh Ave. SE in Red Bay, was arrested and charged with first-degree manufacturing a controlled substance and trafficking meth.
Zills and Investigator Mike Mayfield found the meth lab at the home while following leads on a different case.
"When we came to the back side of the shop at the residence, the chemical smell was so strong that we knew that someone was cooking meth," Zills said.
Zills said they saw Gaddis trying to escape the scene and called the Red Bay Police Department for backup. A brief foot chase ensued.
Officers chased Gaddis to a wooded area near the school.
"We found him in a wooded area, face down on the ground," Zills said. "The smell of chemicals was so strong on him that it was evident he was making meth."
After Gaddis was in custody, he gave consent to a search of the residence where the meth lab was found.
"We called in the Franklin County Sheriff's Department in to help because they have specialized equipment to handle the meth lab," Zills said.
Sheriff Larry Plott said there was no finished product found at the residence, but Gaddis was cooking approximately two ounces of meth when he was caught.
All agencies were on site for several hours in order to secure the area while the scene was cleared
According to the Alabama Criminal Code, manufacturing a controlled substance is a Class A felony, which is punishable by 20 years to life in prison upon conviction.
Gaddis remains in the Franklin County Jail pending a $22,500 bond.