By Dawn Krebs
dkrebs@hometownnewsol.com
ST. LUCIE COUNTY - Just a few days apart, law enforcement raided two houses in Port St. Lucie and Fort Pierce, arresting the occupants and charging them with manufacturing methamphetamine. In both raids, local law enforcement was assisted by agents from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
Methamphetamine is a synthetic drug that affects the central nervous system. It is highly addictive.
In Port St. Lucie, a house at 2013 S.W. Aquarius Lane was raided on Sept. 27 and three people were arrested: Liliana Sainteus, 24; Dustin Shepard, 23 and Steven Jenkins, 20, were arrested and charged with the production of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. In addition, Mr. Jenkins was also charged with possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana.
Arrest records show that after law enforcement entered the home, the materials used to create the drug were found.
"We have a good working relationship with the DEA, so we are able to find these locations," said Master Sgt. Frank Sabol, public information officer for the Port St. Lucie Police Department.
"We are actively pursuing any leads that we have."
But while the raids were conducted days apart, the two incidents weren't otherwise connected.
"It's not a cooperative effort by a large group of people (to make methamphetamine)," he said. "These are more situational incidents, in neighborhoods. Because of the crackdown on prescription drugs, we have also become more aware of the issue."
A few days earlier on Sept. 25, law enforcement raided a house at 511 Tumblin Kling Road in Fort Pierce. From that drug raid, four people were arrested: David Selph, 43; Babette Williams Bishop, 43; Richard Cook, 22 and Bryan Kelley, 25.
In the Fort Pierce raid, the individuals were all charged with manufacturing methamphetamine.