Meth lab found at sex offender's residence

Lt. Bill French (left) looks over the materials of a meth lab found at 134 Circle Drive in Fowlkes. Deputy Allen Fair (middle) holds what is called a generator and Deputy Cody Crawford (right) holds two 2-liter bottles filled with soaking pseudo-ephedrine pills. All three bottles are believed to have been used in the production of methamphetamine by the suspect, Michael Shelton.

Michael Clayton Shelton, 28, 134 Circle Drive, is charged with manufacturing, delivery and sale of methamphetamine.

The deputies were following up on tip that Shelton was either going to cook meth or clean up his meth lab on Monday. Lt. Bill French and Deputy Heath Walker were first to arrive at the house around 3 p.m., where Shelton was standing in the back yard. Lt. Don Permenter and deputies Allen Fair and Cody Crawford arrived soon thereafter.

Michael Clayton Shelton, 28, 134 Circle Drive, is charged with manufacturing, delivery and sale of methamphetamine after Dyer County Sheriff's deputies discovered a meth lab at his residence. [Click to enlarge]

Dyer County Sheriff's deputies found these items that made up the meth lab found at Shelton's residence. They include batteries, muriatic acid, drain cleaner, starter fluid and soaking pseudo-ephedrine pills, which can be purchased over the counter. [Click to enlarge]

The deputies told Shelton they were looking for drugs and Shelton gave them permission to search the premises.

French opened the door to a white Chevy Blazer in the yard and was almost overwhelmed by the fumes of starter fluid, which is used in the production of meth.

The deputies found batteries, starter fluid cans, ammonia packs, a container of drain cleaner, beer cans with ammonia inside, muriatic acid, among other items needed to manufacture meth. They also found two 2-liter bottles with pseudo-ephedrine pills soaking in them.

The deputies did not find any finished product, but estimated he was able to produce a rather large amount of meth just from the two bottles.

The materials were laid out on a plastic tarp, awaiting the arrival of a hazardous material cleanup crew to dispose of them.

This Chevy Blazer was filled with such a high concentration of fumes, from opened starter fluid cans, that Lt. French almost passed out when he opened the door. These poisonous fumes can ignite as well as cause other adverse reactions to those who are exposed. [Click to enlarge]

Shelton is on the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation's sexual offender registry for aggravated sexual battery, which he was arrested for on July 22, 2005. He served time for the charge and was released on April 17, 2006. Shelton is classified as violent on the TBI's Web site.

He is scheduled to appear in Dyer County General Sessions Court on Thursday, Dec. 17, at 9 a.m.