The Maine Drug Enforcement Agency has dismantled a methamphetamine manufacturing operation that a couple in Washburn were allegedly running within 1,000 feet of a school zone.
Officers arrested Darin Cunningham, 36, and his wife, Kaylie Cunningham, 31, and charged them with aggravated operation of a methamphetamine lab from their home near Washburn High School.
Investigators with the MDEA’s Aroostook Task Force and Washburn Police were looking into a suspected meth lab and sales operation by the husband and wife, and undercover police purchased drugs from the couple’s home at 1349 Main Street in Washburn, according to a media release by MDEA Commander Peter Arno and Washburn Police Chief Roy Guidry.
On Thursday, Aug. 4 agents from the MDEA’s laboratory response team and Washburn Police searched the home and found “a significant amount of evidence consistent with the manufacturing of methamphetamine,” the release said.
Before searching the home, the agents located Darin Cunningham driving on South Wade Road in the neighboring town of Wade. According to the news release, agents saw Cunningham throw materials out of the window that were later determined to be related to meth-making.
The charges for the Cunninghams are aggravated because their home is less than 1,000 feet from a designated school zone. Both were taken to Aroostook County Jail, with bail set at $10,000. A child who lives at the residence and was not at home at the time of the search was referred to the Department of Health and Human Services, according to the release.
The Aroostook County Sheriff’s Office, Maine Department of Environmental Protection, Crown Ambulance and the Washburn Fire Department also assisted in the search and dismantling.
The news release added and the investigation is continuing and more charges are possible. It was the 91st meth response by the MDEA this year, while in 2015, there were 56 for the whole year.
