A 39-year-old Indiana County man was charged with operating a meth lab out of his car after a traffic stop turned up what state police said was a “one-pot” method of methamphetamine production, and faces additional drug charges filed a few days later.
Police pulled over Jeremy M. Clawson, 39, of Ernest, on Jan. 18 in Indiana following a traffic violation. Clawson was also the subject of an open felony warrant on drug charges stemming from a May 2018 incident.
Police discovered a small amount of marijuana as well as a one-liter plastic bottle in Clawson’s vehicle “found to contain materials believed to be related to the manufacture of methamphetamine,” according to a criminal complaint.
Clawson was charged with operating a meth lab, risking a catastrophe, drug possession with intent to manufacture, reckless endangerment, drug possession and related traffic charges. He was taken to the Indiana County Prison in lieu of $50,000 bail.
Three days later, Clawson was hit with additional felony drug charges.
“Later that evening, our troopers went to his residence in Ernest, conducted a consent search and found additional items related to manufacturing methamphetamine,” said Tpr. Cliff Greenfield from Troop A in Indiana.
Clawson now faces additional drug charges as well as manufacturing methamphetamine with a child present and endangering the welfare of a child.
The second search was the result of a tip from the public. Greenfield thanked members of the public “for their ongoing assistance with providing information that aids in our daily efforts to investigate illegal drug activity in our communities.”
Clawson faces a Feb. 4 preliminary hearing on all of the charges at 1 p.m. in Judge Christopher Welch’s Clymer court.
Court records do not list an attorney for Clawson.
Patrick Varine is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Patrick at 724-850-2862, pvarine@tribweb.com or via Twitter @MurrysvilleStar.
