JEFF REINITZ Courier Staff Writer | Posted: Friday, March 23, 2001 12:00 am
WATERLOO
Officers with the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Task force uncovered a working methamphetamine lab at a custom car shop and former welding supply store Thursday night.
Authorities said the operation at the red brick building at 120 Center St. was larger than most clandestine labs found in Iowa.
Waterloo firefighters were called to assist and were on the scene until 8:30 p.m.
Four people have been arrested in connection with the 5 p.m. raid.
Liza Dawn Kiewiet, 35, 3604 Maverick Ave. in Cedar Falls, and Scott Lawrence Reavis, 38, of Lot 337 Woodlawn Estates in Dunkerton, were arrested for conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine in excess of 5 grams, according to court records.
Leslee Ann Wehrle, 19, 1515 Easton Ave., was arrested for possession of methamphetamine. Judith Lynn Geary, 39, 550 Eastgate Drive, was arrested for possession of marijuana.
Officers served a search warrant at the building and found items used to make methamphetamine along with more than 5 grams of finished methamphetamine, records state.
Both Kiewiet and Reavis told officers they were involved in methamphetamine manufacturing, records state.
Geary and Wehrle were inside the building at the time of the raid. Officers found methamphetamine on Wehrle's person and in her purse, and Geary was in possession of marijuana, records state.
The building had been the home of Cleveland Welding Supply until its owner, Robert Rush Cleveland, retired in 1996.
Cleveland died in a July automobile accident in Fayette County, and his son, Robert Cleveland Jr., now owns the building, according to a family friend who declined to give his name.
Reavis has prior arrests for drug and explosives charges. He was arrested in 1995 after officers found small quantities of marijuana, methamphetamine, blasting caps and a home-made pipe bomb while serving a search warrant at his home.