Three arrested in meth bust

By Staff
Nathan Strickland
Three people were arrested Thursday after law enforcement officials raided an active methamphetamine lab near downtown Russellville.
Russellville Police Chief Chris Hargett said Gerald Lee Benstine, 35, Tonya Maria Connor, 40, and Robert Jason Risley, 40, all of 111 Sockwell Ave., Apartment 4 in Russellville was all charged with first-degree manufacturing of a controlled substance and drug trafficking of methamphetamine.
Hargett said authorities received a call and arrived at the residence around 4:15 p.m. and arrested Benstine at the scene.
The residence contained an active meth lab that was in the cooking stages, officials said.
A search warrant was issued and Franklin County Sheriff’s office investigators and police investigators who were trained to specifically handle these types of situations were called in to access the situation.
Authorities said there was evidence where there had been four other labs.
A HAZMAT team from Birmingham arrived and cleaned out the residence later that night.
Benstine, Conner and Risley are being held at the Russellville City Jail without bail.