ONEIDA, MADISON CO. -- Police in Oneida say they've arrested two people in connection with a methamphetamine laboratory in a quiet, nice residential area.
Oneida Police and New York State Police executed a search warrant around 5:30 a.m. Tuesday at 1080 Palmer Drive in the City of Oneida.
Now, Oneida Police Chief David Meeker says Robert Scott Atkinson and Melissa Dager are under arrest. Meeker says Atkinson and Dager are brother and sister.
Atkinson is facing charges of unlawful manufacture of methamphetamine, unlawful disposal of methamphetamine laboratory material, criminal possession of precursors of methamphetamine, conspiracy, criminal possession of a weapon, and criminal possession of methamphetamine manufacturing material.
Dager is charged with unlawful manufacture of methamphetamine, unlawful disposal of methamphetamine laboratory material, criminal possession of precursors of methamphetamine, criminal possession of methamphetamine manufacturing material, conspiracy, and criminal possession of a controlled substance.
Police say they found materials inside that are consistent with what's normally seen in a meth lab. Detectives say they found other drug paraphernalia in the home as well.
Oneida police and State Police Special Operations Response Team and Contaminated Crime Scene Emergency Response Teams were on the scene throughout the day removing materials from the home.
Police say this case shows a meth lab can be anywhere, even in quiet suburban neighborhoods.
This is the second meth bust in Oneida in the past month. On June 14th, police arrested three people in connection with a suspected meth lab at 414 Lenox Avenue.
In that case, police say they seized meth, cash, meth ingredients, cell phones, and a digital scale from the home. 27-year-old Michael Held Jr., along with his father 55-year-old Michael F. Held Sr. and 25-year-old Dusty G. Woods, are accused of using the home as a lab to produce and sell meth.
This morning, yet another bust of a suspected meth lab. At this point, investigators won't say whether it's connected to the bust earlier this month. Drug experts say when one person learns how to make meth, it's not uncommon for that person to teach four to six others the trade.
Police are concerned other labs may be being built in the area. Some red flags to watch out for include large amounts of trash, windows boarded or taped up and strange smells, like the smell of cat urine.
The home on Palmer Drive has been stabilized and the air quality has been cleared in the neighborhood.
