CLEARFIELD – A man accused of having a methamphetamine lab at an apartment in Lawrence Park Village waived his right to a preliminary hearing during Centralized Court on Wednesday at the Clearfield County Jail.
Larry Ray Rubly Jr., 43, of Clearfield has been charged with possession of red phosphorous with intent to manufacture a controlled substance, risking catastrophe, criminal attempt/manufacture, delivery or possession with intent to manufacture or deliver, operating a methamphetamine lab and deposits, stores or disposes of chemical waste.
According to the criminal complaint filed by Officer Elliott Neeper of the Lawrence Township police, on Aug. 20 officers received a call from State Parole Agent Keith Summerson, who requested assistance in conducting a follow-up with Larry Rubly Jr. Larry Rubly Jr. was to be staying in apartment 6B at Lawrence Park Village.
Upon arrival Summerson made contact with Mandy Rubly. She confirmed Larry Rubly Jr. was at the apartment, advised he was upstairs and showed the state parole agent to his location. When the state parole agent made contact with Larry Rubly Jr., he was in an upstairs bedroom.
Larry Rubly Jr.’s pants were down around his ankles, and he was allegedly attempting to stick himself with a needle in the leg area. The state parole agent was able to handcuff Larry Rubly Jr.; however, he (Larry Rubly Jr.) discarded the needle.
Larry Rubly Jr. was subsequently taken into custody by the state parole agent. The state parole agent also allegedly located a prohibited offensive weapon in the bedroom that Larry Rubly Jr. stayed in.
While the state parole agents searched for the discarded needle, they also allegedly located multiple items consistent with the manufacture of methamphetamine.
According to the criminal complaint, a two-liter Mountain Dew bottle was allegedly located on the far side of Larry Rubly Jr.’s bed in which a clear, small tube was sticking from the top. Another container was allegedly found directly beside the bottle with an unknown substance inside. On the heater for the bedroom along the far wall, there allegedly was a container of Drano drain cleaner.
Upon officers looking around Larry Rubly Jr.’s bedroom, they allegedly observed in plain view a container of Ronsonol lighter fluid on a bedroom dresser. Also on the dresser, there was allegedly a coffee pot with residue and a large packet of clear baggies commonly used for drug distribution.
Officers also allegedly observed Larry Rubly Jr.’s driver’s license laying on the bed. While exiting the bedroom, officers allegedly observed a bag containing a packet of a 12-hour decongestant containing 20 tablets.
Based upon these observations, officers determined enough items were present to indicate the possibility of an active methamphetamine lab in Apartment 6B.
Police located a female inside the apartment. She was in the living room and told police she had health issues that prevented her from leaving her bed. She also indicated she was the owner of the apartment and advised Mandy and Larry Rubly Jr. had been staying with her.
Police obtained written consent to search the apartment. Then, police proceeded with an evacuation due to the inherent dangers that exist with the manufacture of methamphetamine.
While attempting to secure the scene after the evacuation, officers allegedly located additional items in plain view that are used for the manufacture of methamphetamine at the bottom of the staircase of the apartment. A large one-gallon container of muriatic acid was allegedly found along with a grocery bag containing used items for the manufacture of methamphetamine.
There was allegedly an additional one-gallon container with white residue with these items. Inside the grocery bag, officers could allegedly observe used cold compress containers, used suspected lithium batteries, Ronsonol lighter fluid and plastic tubing.
Also inside the grocery bag in plain view, there allegedly was a receipt from Wal-Mart for the purchase of pseudoephedrine tablets on Aug. 19.
Officers then contacted the state Attorney General’s Drug Task Force Unit and the Pennsylvania State Police Clandestine Methamphetamine Lab Unit.
Police transported Mandy Rubly to the station for an interview about her knowledge of items used for the manufacture of methamphetamine being inside the apartment. She initially denied any knowledge that Larry Rubly Jr. was making or using any type of methamphetamine products.
However, she eventually admitted to viewing the two-liter Mountain Dew bottle in the bedroom. She also stated that there was a liquor bottle that contained a brown liquid inside the bedroom.
Mandy Rubly stated when she confronted Larry Rubly Jr. about the two bottles he related he had urinated inside them. She stated that he told her that he would throw out the bottles.
According to police, Mandy Rubly also allegedly admitted to observing a clear bottle with a black top labeled salt. She stated that she asked Larry Rubly Jr. about this, and he told her that he had been eating in the bedroom. However, she told police she’d never seen him eating in the bedroom.
She also allegedly admitted to purchasing Sudafed at Wal-Mart sometime at the end of July. Police confirmed that she purchased Sudafed on Aug. 6. However, she denied purchasing pseudoephedrine for the purpose of manufacturing methamphetamine or for supplying Larry Rubly Jr. with it to manufacture methamphetamine.
Police received additional information from another female who was suspected of purchasing pseudoephedrine and supplying it to Larry Rubly Jr. She was located at Lawrence Park Village.
She told police that on Aug. 19 Larry Rubly Jr. asked her to purchase pseudoephedrine for him at Wal-Mart. She stated that she declined at first; however, Larry Rubly Jr. called repeatedly and she eventually agreed to.
The female said she met with Larry Rubly Jr. and Mandy Rubly. She said both were present when Larry Rubly Jr. handed her a gift card, gave her the pin number and told her specifically which type of medication to purchase and to also use the card as credit, if possible.
The female said they told her to buy one box of the 12-hour, generic Sudafed. She went to Wal-Mart where she purchased the pseudoephedrine. When she returned she said she met both Larry Rubly Jr. and Mandy Rubly to give them the pseudoephedrine. She said Larry Rubly Jr. opened the package to make sure it was what he’d requested her to purchase.
The female told police she put the gift card back in the Wal-Mart bag. Before she left she said Larry Rubly Jr. asked a male for any empty bottles that he had, and he took an empty Juicy Juice bottle.
When Mandy Rubly was interviewed a second time by police, she denied witnessing Larry Rubly Jr. giving the gift card to the female. She also denied going with Larry Rubly Jr. to obtain the pseudoephedrine from the female.