Sarah Hawley/photo

The Meigs Motel, located just off Ohio 7 near Pomeroy, was the scene of an alleged meth lab late Thursday evening. Two were arrested in connection with the lab.

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POMEROY — Two people were arrested late Thursday night following the execution of a search warrant at the Meigs Motel.

Donald P. Carnahan, 31, of Long Bottom, and Leann C. Dill, aka Rendell, 30, of Pomeroy, were arrested in connection with a lab manufacturing methamphetamine in a guest room of the Meigs Motel. A young child was removed from the scene by Meigs County Children’s Services.

Both Carnahan and Rendell made an initial court appearance in Meigs County Court on Friday afternoon.

Both defendants are charged with illegal possession of chemicals, a felony of the second degree.

Judge Steve Story set Carnahan’s bond at $500,000 with 10 percent cash allowed, while Rendell’s bond was set at $250,000 with 10 percent allowed.

Carnahan also faces similar charges from an arrest by the Middleport Police Department in May. Charges filed in County Court from that arrest tampering with drugs (felony three), possession of chemicals (felony three), and drug paraphernalia (misdemeanor four). Carnahan had been released on a $25,000 bond in the case.

Trenton Cleland was appointed to represent Carnahan, with Charles Knight appointed to represent Rendell.

Both defendants are due in court for a preliminary hearing at 11:30 p.m. on June 21.

Multiple chemicals for the manufacture of methamphetamine were found nside the room, along with paraphernalia and other controlled substances, according to a news release by the Meigs County Prosecutor’s Office.

According to Assistant Prosecutor Amanda Bizub-Franzmann, alleged meth-making materials were found inside the motel room and also outside. The alleged lab took nearly five hours to neutralize, and at one point, caught on fire.

Present on the scene were officers from the Meigs County Sheriff’s Office, the Middleport Police Department, the Ohio State Highway Patrol, firefighters from the Pomeroy Fire Department and officials from Meigs County Children’s Services and the Meigs County Prosecutor’s Office.

“This is the fourteenth meth lab bust in the two-and-a-half years the Task Force has been in existence,” said Captain Steve Kane, who directed the search along with Sergeant William Gilkey of the Meigs County Major Crimes Task Force.

The Task Force, through its continued work and support of Sheriff Beegle, has been able to successfully investigate and convict many of the drug producers associated with these busts.