MAT-SU - Lately, when grand juries hand up indictments for drug charges, meth-lab cooks are conspicuously absent, and the drugs of choice now seem to be heroin, cocaine and pills. In October, Michael Pope was indicted for possession of cocaine, heroin and a firearm near Wasilla. In November, Tom Hess and Kim Hutchings were indicted for possession of heroin, cocaine, methadone and a prescription anti-anxiety medication in Palmer. In December, Michael Whiting was indicted for possession of cocaine, oxycodone and hydrocodone. [continues 578 words]
State Averaging 40 Reports A Month Mat-Su - The recent busts of three meth labs in the Butte removed two toddlers and a 6-year-old from harm's way. But those children aren't the only ones in danger in the Valley. From July 2004 through June 2005, the state Office of Children's Services received an average of 40 protective-service reports a month that were connected to methamphetamine in some way, according to James Steele, manager for the Southcentral region. Some reports were about children whose parents who were using the drug, some had parents who were manufacturing it, Steele said. [continues 797 words]
