DUBOIS – A DuBois woman accused of having a meth lab in her home waived her right to a preliminary hearing Friday during centralized court.
Samantha Marie Bish, 34, and her husband, Jeffrey Joel Bish, 38, were each charged by DuBois City police with criminal conspiracy, 14 counts of operating a methamphetamine lab, possession of liquefied ammonia for purpose other than agricultural, manufacture/delivery/possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, intentional possession of a controlled substance, risking a catastrophe, three counts of endangering the welfare of children, six counts of recklessly endangering another person and possession of drug paraphernalia.
The charges stem from an incident Oct. 12 when police said they were serving arrest warrants on the couple and found meth and substances used to make meth in their home.
Samantha Bish is in the Clearfield County Jail in lieu of $10,000 monetary bail. Jeffrey Bish’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 24.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, when Jeffrey Bish opened the door, he was taken into custody. On his person, officers report they found three baggies containing a white powdery substance later identified as methamphetamine.
He also allegedly had two plastic tubes with white powder residue, a container with hydrocodone, dextoampheramines and methylphenidate. When asked where his wife was, he said upstairs.
The officers located Samantha Bish in a bedroom where they saw a container with a white powdery substance, a glass jar with a white powdery substance on the bottom and liquid on the top, which appeared to be a possible meth lab, according to the complaint.
At this time, two children were in the home and another had already left for school.
After Samantha Bish was taken into custody, she gave permission to police to search the residence. She allegedly told them she was aware of drugs and drug-making items in the home.
Jeffrey Bish said there was stuff in their bedroom actively cooking meth, but it was not finished yet, according to the complaint. He also reportedly directed the officers to the back porch where there was a bucket full of run-off material from making meth.
The home and a neighbor’s home were evacuated due to the fumes coming off the bucket on the porch.
Police said they recovered seven plastic bottles containing various colors of a chunky substance, a metallic substance, tablet pieces, a clear liquid, one bottle with residue, seven plastic bottles containing a white crystalline substance, other items used to make methamphetamine, scales, straws and bags with white powder or residue.
All of the items seized contained the ingredients for the manufacture of methamphetamine. The total weight of items seized that contained methamphetamine was 1,112.09 grams, according to the complaint.
The arrest warrants on the original case that brought officers to the Bish home involve the alleged sale of oxycodone to a confidential informant in January of 2016.
Both Jeffrey and Samantha Bish face drug charges in that case as well. They waived their rights to a preliminary hearing on charges of manufacture/delivery/possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, and recklessly endangering another person in those cases in October.