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Four Arrested For Allegedly Manufacturing Meth

Highlands County Sheriff's Office

Tracee Brown, 18, Joseph Nicklaus, 24, Fernando Chaidez, 29, Edwin Townsend, 31

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Brad Dickerson

Published: February 26, 2009

Updated: 02/26/2009 08:05 pm

Four people were arrested Wednesday for allegedly operating a methamphetamine lab.

Tracee Brown, 18, of 1727 Dinner Lake Drive, Sebring; Joseph Nicklaus, 24, of 120 Jasmine Ave., Lake Placid; Fernando Chaidez, 29, of Fort Meade; and Edwin Townsend, 31, of 2901 Townsend Road, Avon Park, were each charged with manufacturing methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

The homeowner's name was redacted from the arrest report. Information from the Highlands County Property Appraiser's Web site lists the property owners as Robert W. "Bob" Germaine and Dustin W. Germaine.

Bob Germaine, Highlands County Clerk of Courts, said Thursday afternoon that he had bought the house for his son Dustin, 28, who was not arrested.

"I haven't heard from my son and I can't get in touch with him," Germaine said. "All I know is that there's four people arrested and Dustin wasn't there."

Capt. Randy LaBelle, with the Highlands County Sheriff's Office, also said that Dustin Germaine was not inside the home.

The case began after officers with the Sebring Police Department responded to the Little Froggies Convenience Store on Wednesday in reference to an illegal trash dumping complaint, according to a press release.

Investigators then responded to 1108 Denise Ave., with several people reportedly inside and involved in "suspicious activity." SPD Sgt. Tom Gilliard and Officer Matt Cloud were allowed into the residence and saw several items that are used to cook meth, the release stated.

Those items included spoons, cigarette filters, syringes, coffee filters, muriatic acid and pills, according to the arrest report.

A fire was also reportedly seen inside a grill in the back yard. As officers approached it, they allegedly saw pill containers and two cans of Drano in a trash can next to the grill.

The subjects reportedly all either denied living at the residence or had no proof of residency.

Officers contacted the actual owner via phone, who responded to the scene and met with law enforcement, the arrest report stated. Gillard informed the owner of "his suspicions and concerns that the home might have been burglarized and or illegal drug usage was occurring inside.

Following the discovery of the items at the residence, HCSO deputies and members of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement responded to the scene. The Little Froggies dumpster was searched and tubes, bottles, lithium battery cases, pill blister packs, syringes and empty boxes of medication that contained Pseudoephedrine were found, the report stated.

The syringes reportedly field tested positive for the presence of meth.

Nicklaus eventually told law enforcement he had been living at the residence for at least three days and had a bag of clothing inside. Townsend and Brown said they had been living there for two to three weeks, the report stated. Chaidez reportedly said he did not live at the home and was not involved in any illegal activity.

LaBelle said the case is an on-going investigation.

"It's the second such type of meth cook that we've seen in this area," he said. "(It is a) one-pot method that can be used to make a small batch."

Highlands Today reporter Brad Dickerson can be reached at (863) 386-5838 or bdickerson@highlandstoday.com

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