The grand jury also indicted two men for allegedly operating a meth lab in an outbuilding in January.
Clark County Deputy Sheriff Paul Howard discovered the lab while investigating a prowler complaint near Treehaven Drive on Jan. 18. At the time, only 36-year-old Michael D. Ritchie was arrested after he said he was actively making meth.
The property owner, Aaron Ferguson, said he was letting Ritchie stay in his outbuilding for a while. Ritchie said Ferguson was not involved, but the grand jury indicted him Thursday for manufacturing methamphetamines and first-degree persistent felony offender as well.
Ritchie was indicted on the single count of manufacturing methamphetamine.
Ferguson’s indictment came a week after he pleaded guilty to first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance charges in another case in Clark Circuit Court. He is scheduled to be sentenced June 21 to three years in prison.
Neither Ritchie nor Ferguson were in court Thursday. Both men were charged with manufacturing for possession of two or more chemicals or items used to make methamphetamine.
Howard discovered the lab while on foot patrol near Mimosa and Treehaven drives around 6:30 a.m. and heard voices coming from an outbuilding. When he knocked on the door and identified himself, Howard said he heard items bring moved inside the shed. When the door finally opened, smoke and meth fumes came rolling from the door.
Clark County Sheriff Berl Perdue Jr. said there was no meth in the shed other than what was being cooked, but there were ingredients and chemicals to make more.
The Kentucky State Police’s drug task force processed the scene and cleaned it up.
The grand jury returned the following indictments Thursday:
— Juan F. Munoz, second-degree criminal abuse.
— Jeremy Holland and Amy Holland, fourth-degree assault (misdemeanor).
— Larry G. Patrick Jr., first-degree wanton endangerment (two counts), tampering with physical evidence.
— Michael S. Walden, third-degree burglary (two counts), attempted third-degree burglary.
— Ashley Groves, first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.
— Ruth Watkins, first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.
— Brandon E. Clem, flagrant non-support (two counts), first-degree persistent felony offender.
— Matthew R. Martin, attempted theft by unlawful taking (misdemeanor).
— Eddie W. Means, flagrant non-support.
— Steve Fields Jr., first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance (two counts).
— Bobby Fuller, first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.
— Anthony L. Wells, flagrant non-support (two counts), first-degree persistent felony offender.
— Amy Osborne Copsy, making false statement to obtain benefits.
Contact Fred Petke at fpetke@winchestersun.com.
