Police: New Ken man says he attempted to cook meth in his basement 'in the past'

New Kensington police on Tuesday arrested a man who they say had a methamphetamine lab in his basement.

Sean Christopher Smith, 34, remained in the Westmoreland County Prison on Wednesday after failing to post $100,000 bond. He is charged with operating a methamphetamine lab, reckless endangerment, and additional drug offenses, according to court records.

Police said they went to Smith’s Third Avenue home to serve a warrant on him. In plain view in the basement, officers found items usually used to manufacture methamphetamine such as coffee filters, drain cleaner, lighter fluid, lye and plastic bottles with tubing taped to the mouth of the bottles, according to Smith’s arrest papers.

Investigators also found empty boxes and empty blister packs of pseudoephedrine, as well as receipts for the medicine, the arrest papers said. Police say such items are “indicative of recent methamphetamine production.”

Upon discovering the items, police ordered the immediate evacuation of the home and asked the Pennsylvania State Police Clandestine Lab Response Team to come seize them.

According to the arrest papers against him, Smith admitted to police that he had attempted to cook methamphetamine in the past, but he had not been in the basement for a week. He told police that anything in the basement would be “old.”

Smith also told police he hadn’t bought pseudoephedrine in at least a year, but police were able to verify Smith purchased pseudoephedrine last July , the complaint said.

The drug, by itself, is an ingredient in some legitimate cold medications.

A preliminary hearing for Smith is scheduled for March 26.