37-Year-Old Man Arrested for Operating Meth Labs in Maine

A 37-year-old man has been arrested operating meth labs in Gorham. The arrest comes after a six month investigation.

37-Year-Old Man Charged with Operating Meth Labs

The Maine Drug Enforcement Agency said Mathew Cole was charged with Unlawful Operation of a Methamphetamine Laboratory and Violation of Conditional Release (Pending Unlawful Operation of a Methamphetamine Laboratory & Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. Cole had been free on bail for drug, theft, and firearm charges.

Man Arrested for Drugs near Church

The Gorham Police Department was called to Church Street around 12 pm on Sunday after a person contacted police about drug deals in the area of the First Parish Congregational Church.

Area Evacuated

Officers Located Cole outside the church. Police said Cole “had numerous backpacks, bags, and other items to include what officers recognized as “One Pot Methamphetamine Laboratories “, both of which were in the active stages of the process of producing methamphetamine and next to the Church’s outside wall. Due to the extreme chance of explosion and or fire, the area was evacuated for safety, to include the occupied church. Cole was subsequently arrested for possessing approximately 27 grams of methamphetamine.”

MDEA Team Called

The Gorham Fire Department was called as well as the MDEA Clandestine Laboratory Enforcement Team (CDLET), “a specially trained group of agents from around the state, trained to mitigate the danger of the labs and render them safe, as well as collect samples for evidence.”

Two Meth Labs

The two labs were mitigated and the lab teams collected evidence that included lithium, Coleman Fuels and other items utilized in the manufacturing process. “All toxic byproducts of the labs were turned over for destruction to the State’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) who responded to the scene,” said the MDEA.

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