Police: Meth Shopping Spree Catches Drug Task Force Attention

Jonathan Bacott was charged with attempting to make methamphetamine after buying several meth-related items at a Wentzville store.

Detectives searched a man’s car after he and another man bought several items used to make methamphetamine at a Wentzville store. Jonathan Bacott, 28, was charged Tuesday with attempting to make methamphetamine. Bacott’s last known address is in the 800 block of Larkspur Lane in O’Fallon. The second man has not been charged. St. Charles County Regional Drug Task Force detectives said they received a report that Bacott and another man bought a variety of items used to make meth at the Wentzville Schnuck’s store, 1960 Wentzville Parkway. Detectives said they recognized Bacott’s name and address from other ongoing meth investigations. After searching Bacott, detectives said they found a baggie with marijuana and a pen shaft with white powder …

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Drug Task Force Nabs Man in Wentzville Buying Cold Meds to Make Meth, Police Say

Ricky Coppedge had 83.62 grams of pseudoephedrine hidden under his car hood and 13 grams of meth hidden in his dashboard, according to a court document.

A Greenville, MO man was arrested Feb. 28 in an ongoing investigation into buying pseudoephedrine for methamphetamine production. Ricky Coppedge, 32, of Greenville, MO was charged March 31 by the St. Charles County Prosecutor’s Office with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and possession of pseudoephedrine with intent to make meth. St. Charles County Drug Task Force detectives said they stopped Coppedge in the 1300 block of Forest Way in Wentzville as he was buying pseudoephedrine from a third party for $100. Officers also found a knotted plastic bag in his pocket that contained one gram of meth. Officers also said they found 116 blister packs containing 83.52 grams of pseudoehedrine hidden underneath the hood of his …

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Board to Consider Meth Contamination Ordinance

The new ordinance declares meth-contaminated structures a nuisance and sets provisions for dealing with them.

At Wednesday night's meeting, the Wentzville Board of Aldermen will hear a first reading of an ordinance that declares methamphetamine contamination a nuisance. Contamination caused by the manufacturing or storage of methamphetamine . . . poses an unreasonable and long lasting risk to the public safety personnel and to members of the public who  may unwittingly enter or purchase buildings where such contamination exists. . . The bill adds meth contamination to the definition of unsafe structures and give the code enforcement officer the authority to order occupants to vacate. Unsafe structures will be considered contaminated when certain levels of chemicals such as red phosphorus, iodine crystals, sulfuric acid, hydrogen chloride, …

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Man Indicted by Grand Jury on Assaulting Officer, Making Meth Charges

Thomas Rockenstein pulled a knife on officers during a search of his residence. After being disarmed, he told officers, "I wish you would have killed me."

A man was indicted by a St. Charles County grand jury Feb. 15 on several charges related to a Jan. 29 Drug Task Force search of his mother’s home. Thomas Rockenstein, 55, of the 1400 block of Prospect Lakes Drive near Wentzville, faces charges of assaulting an officer, manufacturing a controlled substance, possessing a controlled substance and possessing drug-related items. St. Charles County Sheriff’s deputies were asked to check on the welfare of Rockenstein’s elderly mother Jan. 29. When they arrived, they found several items used to make methamphetamine in the home. Deputies notified the St. Charles County Drug Task Force, which sent detectives to search the home. Rockenstein, 55, pleaded guilty to several drug charges in April 2009. …

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Man Pulled Knife on Detectives, Deputies During Drug Search, Officers Say

After being taken in custody, Thomas Rockenstein told officials, "I wish you would have killed me."

A St. Charles County man, who is on probation for 2009 drug charges, pulled a knife on detectives and St. Charles County Sheriff’s deputies outside a home Jan. 29. After officers disarmed Thomas J. Rockenstein, he said, “I wish you would have killed me. I’m going to jail forever.” Rockenstein, 55, pleaded guilty to several drug charges in April 2009. He received a 15-year sentence, but the sentence was suspended and Rockenstein was placed on five years probation. St. Charles County Sheriff's Department officials say they had been requested to check on the welfare of Rockenstein’s elderly mother at her home in the 1400 block of Prospect Lakes Drive near Wentzville. When a deputy entered the home, he saw numerous items used to make …

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Police: Man Nabbed For Making Meth Five Months After Lab Explosion Burned Woman

In September, a meth lab exploded in a barn on the man's property near Wentzille, injuring a woman.

A St. Charles County man faces a second methamphetamine charge about five months after a meth lab exploded on his property near Wentzville, burning a woman and setting fire to his barn. Dale Lenze Sr., 53, was charged Jan. 31 with attempt to manufacture a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. A St. Charles County Sheriff’s deputy accompanied a Social Services employee to check on the welfare of children living in a home in the 2800 block of Essex Street in St. Charles County near St. Charles. Inside the home, the deputy smelled a strong chemical odor and spotted several ingredients commonly used to cook meth. He alerted the St. Charles County Regional Drug Task Force, which sent a …

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Couple Busted For Selling Fake Meth to Undercover Officer, Police Say

The man prepared sugar to look like methamphetamine to sell to the Drug Task Force detective.

A Wentzville couple sold a fake methamphetamine mixture made of sugar to an undercover officer Nov. 26, according to a St. Charles County Drug Task Force report. James W. Martin, 25, of the 1200 block of Continental Drive in Wentzville, was charged Nov. 29 with two counts of delivery or manufacture of a fake controlled substance. Heather Villarreal, 39, also of the 1200 block of Continental Drive, faces one count of the same charge. A Drug Task Force member said Martin prepared sugar to look like methamphetamine and gave a bag to Villarreal to sell to the undercover detective for $50 at their residence on Nov. 26. Later the same day, Martin sold another bag of the fake meth to the officer for $100 at 1131 West Pearce Blvd. The detectives …

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Zephrex-D: Meth Busting Allergy Drug Now Available at Walgreens

Zephrex-D, a new decongestant touted to fight meth labs, is now available at Walgreens. It's coming to two more major St. Louis area pharmacies in coming weeks.

As previously reported by Patch, Zephrex D was expected to be available in St. Louis area pharmacies in November.  It is now rolling out in Walgreens stores and available at select Walgreens at this time.  Zephrex-D is manufactured by Maryland Heights-based Highland Pharmaceuticals. Westport Pharmaceuticals is a subsidiary of Highland. Paul Hemings, with Westport Pharmaceuticals, tells Patch that in addition to Walgreens, Zephrex-D will be in two more major pharmacies in the St. Louis areas in the next week or two.   Hemings is holding off on making the two additional pharmacies public citing privacy agreements with the companies. Overall, Zephrex-D is only being sold in the St. Louis market, including St. Louis, St. Charles and Jefferson …

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Zephrex-D: New Meth-Busting Decongestant in St. Louis Pharmacies in November

Zephrex-D, a new decongestant that drug agents say cannot be converted into methamphetamine, is set to hit St. Louis pharmacies this month. A prescription will not be required to purchase the drug in some areas.

Zephrex-D, a new decongestant that its manufacturer and St. Louis area drug agents say cannot be converted into methamphetamine, is set to hit St. Louis pharmacies this month. As previously reported by Patch, Zephrex D is expected to be available in St. Louis area pharmacies in November. Since its maker and drug agents say it cannot be converted into meth, it will also be sold without a prescription in some counties that have recently passed ordinances requiring a prescription to purchasepseudoephedrine products like Claritin-D and Allegra-D. Zephrex-D is manufactured by Maryland Heights based Highland Pharmaceuticals. Westport Pharmaceuticals is a subsidiary of Highland. Paul Hemings, with Westport Pharmaceuticals, isn't giving specifics …

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Meth-Fueled, High-Speed Chase Goes Through Red Lights in O'Fallon, Police Say

O’Fallon Police said the man drove into oncoming traffic, causing at least one accident and narrowly avoiding head-on collisions.