Update: Increase in incidents involving meth in Mount Pleasant
Mount Pleasant Police have seen an uptick in the amount of methamphetamine found in the city as two men were found separately in possession of the drug and one was found with potential lab equipment.
Jerry Eastman, 42, was arrested Jan. 3 after he was pulled over for not using a turn signal. The officer conducting the stop found drug paraphernalia in the car and, upon searching the vehicle, found equipment that he believed was intended to be used to cook meth.
Eastman admitted a white substance found on a spoon in the car was meth. Police contacted the Bay Area Narcotics Enforcement Team to clean up the equipment and handle the investigation. Public Information Officer Jeff Browne said police always contact the narcotics team when they find drug production equipment.
Another incident occurred Jan. 5 when William Gonzales, a 21-year-old Mount Pleasant man, was found outside the Mount Pleasant Department of Public Safety with what appeared to be a silver revolver, but was actually a BB gun with the safety tip removed. The man was recognized by an officer who approached him. The suspect dropped the gun and ran, only to be apprehended near Gaylord and Elizabeth streets. He was found with 13.9 grams of meth on him.
Browne said Gonzales did not explain why he was at the police department with a toy gun and drugs.
Gonzales was arraigned Monday on charges of delivery/manufacture of methamphetamine, a 20-year felony, possession of meth, a 10-year felony, resisting/obstructing, a two-year felony, and possession of a pneumatic gun, a two-year felony. Bond was set at 10 percent of $200,000
City police found a small amount of meth during a traffic stop on Nov. 28 on Ward Street. Browne said in an interview shortly after that meth tends to be found in northern Michigan, and that heroine was more typical in Mount Pleasant.
A specific source of the drug is unknown, Browne said.
