Pubdate: Thu, 15 Jun 2006
Source: Southeast Sun, The (Enterprise, AL)
Copyright: 2006 The Southeast Sun
Contact:  http://www.southeastsun.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3701
Author: Melissa Braun, Sun Staff Writer
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

METH COMPOUND INVESTIGATION CONTINUES

Drugs, an unsolved missing person case, and bones have been key 
elements for success for many television series but all of these 
elements were also factors in a real-life Coffee County drug bust 
last week that remains under investigation.

Several members of the 12th Judicial Circuit Deferred Prosecution 
program were arrested Thursday after more than 100 local, state, and 
federal law enforcement officers made what is being called the 
biggest methamphetamine drug bust Coffee County has seen in the past 20 years.

Michael W. Catrett, 48, was arrested after he was lured away by law 
enforcement from his property that is being called a methamphetamine 
compound, according to Coffee County Sheriff Ben Moates.

The bust was the second time that Catrett's property has been raided, 
according to Moates. Officers lured Catrett, whom intelligence said 
might pose the largest security threat to officers, to the District 
Attorney's Office under the guise that he had a meeting with District 
Attorney Gary L. McAliley about his deferred prosecution status.

Upon his arrival to the DA's office, members of the Alabama State 
Troopers took Catrett into custody.

At the same time, warrants were being executed at Catrett's 
residence, leading to the arrests of Catrett's wife Paula S. Catrett, 
46, Linda S. Cantelli, 48, James C. Blaylock, 40, Renata L. Wallace, 
35, Trinity A. Roberts, 26, and Dale Arnold Williams, 46.

All were taken into custody without incident, which was a relief to 
many officers as intelligence gathered had suggested that this might 
be a dangerous situation, Moates said.

Each of the individuals were charged with manufacturing of a 
controlled substance in the first degree and also trafficking in 
methamphetamines. Both charges are class A felonies.

Michael Catrett received an additional charge of distribution.

A bond was set for $1 million for each charge of trafficking in 
methamphetamines, $200,000 of which could only be made in cash.

A bond of $1 million was also set for each charge of manufacturing of 
an illegal substance.

Two additional individuals were arrested after approaching the scene 
during the execution of the search warrant.

Carol Michiles and Amy Redd Watson were both arrested and charged 
with possession of a controlled substance and possession of marijuana 
after a search of their vehicle resulted in officers locating the 
narcotics, according to Myron Williams, Coffee County Sheriff's Department.

Of those arrested and charged, Michael Catrett, Paula Catrett, 
Watson, and Roberts were members of the deferred prosecution program, 
according to Williams.

The deferred prosecution program, also known as pre trial diversion, 
is similar to being on probation. If accepted by the district 
attorney, a defendant charged with a non-violent crime can be on the 
program for to years if he or she remains clean from any other 
criminal activity or drug abuse.

Defendants are also required to report on a at least a once a month 
to the program's manager, Tonya Burke, and submit to random drug testing.

Often times if individuals have a known substance abuse problem or 
have failed previous drug tests, they will be required to report as 
often as twice a week and might also be required to join a 
rehabilitation program.

All four were expelled from the program after the criminal charges 
were filed last week.

Methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, seven handguns, five trailers, 
along with many abandoned vehicles and garbage were sprawled across 
the four acres of land in Catrett's name.

Searching the premises took officers 12 hours.

"At some point all the trailers, apart from the one used as a 
residence, were used in some part of the process of making meth," 
said Neal Bradley, investigator for the CCSD. An uncommon type of 
glassware that that investigators have not found had not been found 
in any previous lab busts was found at the compound. It is used to 
make meth in large amounts, according to Bradley.

The glassware is illegal to possess and federal charges for 
possession are pending, explained Bradley.

Bones were located on the premises, including a single bone that was 
approximately 2 and 1/2 inches long during the search of the 
four-acre compound, though none were determined to be of human 
origin, according to Moates.

The bone was initially suspected to belong to Wayne Bryan who 
disappeared from his yard 11 years ago on December 15.

Though no bones have been determined to be human, investigators have 
not ruled out the possibility that Bryan's remains may be found on 
the property, according to Moates.

Surveillance equipment was also confiscated during the search of the compound.

Cameras were mounted on trees, abandoned vehicles, and the trailers 
around the compound, according to Moates.

Officers were able to move in at such a rapid rate on Wednesday that 
the equipment was of little use to the residents of the compound.

"This is the biggest investigation in terms of the number of agencies 
involved and the number of people that were involved that I have ever 
been involved with," said Moates.

Agencies involved include the Alabama Bureau of Investigations, 
Alabama Department of Public Safety, the Federal Drug Enforcement 
Agency, Alabama Tobacco and Firearms, the Alabama Beverage Control 
Board, and the Coffee County Sheriff's Department, according to Moates.

Work by Lt. Lance Price, Lt. Robert Chambers, and Lt. Jean Turner 
helped to also make this operation go smoothly, said Bradley.

Local agencies that aided also include the Enterprise Police 
Department, Enterprise Rescue Inc., Enterprise Fire Department, and 
the Goodman Fire Department.

With the number of agencies involved, there was a unity in the 
operation, according to Williams. "Only three people in my office 
knew about the investigation. We tried to keep this as quiet as 
possible," said Moates.

The administrative staff and narcotics officers from the sheriff's 
department met with team leaders from the other agencies to plan the 
execution of the warrants. "After Bradley had the warrant, we had 
only 10 days for the execution," Williams said. In rebuttal to 
accusations that the bust was for political motives, Williams said 
the ABI had final say as to when the bust would occur. Hours upon 
hours of work went into the investigation, according to Bradley. "As 
far as professionalism, this investigation was the smoothest I have 
seen. Egos were tossed aside," said Williams. "The operation was a 
culmination of a lot of work over the past couple of years," said 
Moates. Officers across the agencies were ecstatic to have those 
persons making enough methamphetamine to have the lab described as a 
mega lab off the streets of Coffee County.

Photo: Investigators searched through trailers and trash on the 
compound looking for weapons and narcotics.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman