GALLIPOLIS — A Gallia County man serving a community control sentence for multiple drug trafficking charges, was recently arraigned in the Common Pleas Court of Gallia County for the illegal manufacture of drugs.

Donnie K. Roach, Jr., 28, Bidwell, recently pleaded not guilty to the illegal manufacture of methamphetamine during a hearing before Common Pleas Judge D. Dean Evans.

Roach was arrested on January 7, 2013, following the filing of an indictment in October 2012.

The indictment alleges that Roach was taking part in the manufacture of methamphetamine on August 22, 2012, in the vicinity of a juvenile, a first degree felony.

The defendant was charged along with Joshua P. Saunders, 33, Gallipolis, Dawn Lanham, 33, Gallipolis, and Johnnie L. Williams, 30, Gallipolis, after a “one-pot” meth lab was discovered at a residence at 542 Burnett Road in the Kanauga-area.

The discovery came after an anonymous citizen complaint was received by a deputy with the Gallia County Sheriff’s Office.

According to the police report, a deputy traveled to the residence at approximately 7:30 p.m. on August 22 to speak with the owner of the residence about the complaint.

After receiving consent to search the residence by the owner, identified as Lanham, the officer, who is also a trained meth lab technician, discovered an active “one-pot” methamphetamine lab inside a grocery bag in the living room of the residence.

Also at the home at the time of the search were Roach and Williams, along with two juveniles, ages eight and nine years. Saunders had reportedly left the home just prior to the officer’s arrival.

The home was evacuated, the Gallipolis Fire Department was dispatched to standby as a precaution and the deputy called for assistance from a fellow meth lab technician with the Middleport Police Department to aid in the neutralization of the lab.

Following the neutralization of the hazardous materials, the remnants of the “one-pot” lab were properly disposed of by the officers.

Reportedly, after the results of the lab testing in this case was returned to the sheriff’s office, a total of 16 grams of methamphetamine was found in the evidence submitted in this case.

The police report also indicates that several “precursor” ingredients used to manufacture the drug were also found at the residence, including empty lithium batteries, sulfuric acid, pseudoephedrine and ammonium nitrate. Paraphernalia used during the consumption of the drug was also reportedly discovered by the officers.

Indictments against all four suspects were filed in October and Saunders and Lanham were both later arrested and pleaded not guilty to the illegal manufacture of methamphetamine in October.

Lanham was later released on a $25,000, own recognizance bond. A plea in this case may be filed by February 11.

The charge against Saunders was dismissed late last year, according to the court’s online docket.

Williams was arrested on a warrant on indictment on January 5 and was recently arraigned and also charged with one count of the illegal manufacture of methamphetamine.

She pleaded not guilty to the charge and was also released on an own recognizance bond.

A plea agreement in this case may be filed April 1.

In a previous case, Roach was charged with selling two Opana (oxymorphone) tablets on March 1, 2011, selling two Morphine tablets on March 5, 2011, and being in possession of the drugs on the dates in question.

Roach subsequently pleaded guilty to count one of his indictment and was sentenced in January 2012 to serve 24 month probation sentence.

A warrant relating to probation violations in this case was filed on April 27, 2012, and the defendant was arrested on June 25, 2012, and later arraigned on the violations in this case.

The violations alleged that, since being placed on community control, Roach had made no payments toward his court costs or his supervision fee and had not contacted or made any visits to his probation officer.

The defendant later failed to appear for a final hearing on his probation violations on August 30, 2012, and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

Following his arrest on September 7, Roach’s bond was revoked and a final hearing was continued to September 25. However, the violations were later dismissed by the court.

A second warrant for probation violations was filed on October 3, as the defendant had failed to attend the Salvation Army drug rehabilitation program as he had agreed and was also indicted in his second felony case in the common pleas court.

Roach was arraigned on these charges on January 17, and his bond was set at $10,000, 10 percent.

A preliminary hearing in this case has been set for February 12 and a final hearing has been set for March 12.

In his most recent case, Roach’s bond has been set at $25,000, 10 percent and a jury trial has been scheduled for March 14. A plea may be filed in this case by March 1.

Roach is currently being held in the Gallia County Jail.