Indiana County man accused of making meth, dumping waste in 5 different areas
An Indiana County man is facing charges after police said he made methamphetamine and dumped the chemical waste and paraphernalia at five different locations in the region.
According to Pennsylvania State Police, a trooper noticed a large black garbage bag in the woods near Stewart Hollow Road in Buffington Township back in November 2019. The bag was in an embankment around 20 feet off of the road.
The officer cut open the bag and found a yellow plastic bag that had an acid generator with a tube coming out of the lid inside of a gallon zip-close bag inside, police said. There were also several spent acid generators and several spent one-pot vessels in the garbage bag.
Other similar garbage bags with items used to make meth inside were found in the area, state police said.
In total, the Pennsylvania State Police Clandestine Laboratory Response Team (CLRT) seized from this dumpsite 65 plastic bottles containing a white substance, six clear sandwich bags with black tape, six empty Drano boxes, one Drano bottle, 12 empty cold compress boxes, one Nordic Ice compress bag, and one cut Energizer lithium battery, police said.
Over the course of three years, police found more meth dumpsites along several Indiana County roads, including Lower Laurel Road and Mack Road in Buffington Township and Spruce Grove Road in Cherryhill Township.
Among items seized at the five dumpsites were a total of approximately 160 plastic bottles suspected to be one-pot vessels and approximately 375 plastic bottles suspected to be acid generators. Additional items seized from the five dumpsites included an empty Coleman camp fuel container, a lye container, and empty cold compress packages.
The dumpsites were believed to be related because of the unique packaging of the one-pot vessels and acid generators, as well as how the items were disposed of, police said. Items from the sites were tested and revealed the presence of meth.
In January 2020, while investigating along Lower Laurel Road, troopers identified 38-year-old David R. Burk, from Strongstown, as a suspect after finding a Walmart receipt from 2017 and confirming with the store that Burk was the purchaser.
Burk is charged with five felony counts relating to operating a methamphetamine laboratory; depositing, storing, disposing of chemical waste; possessing phenylpropanolamine, etc. or a precursor substance with intent to unlawfully manufacture; manufacture, delivery, or possession with intent to manufacture or deliver; and causing catastrophe. Burk was also charged with three misdemeanor counts relating to knowingly possessing ephedrine; possession of a controlled substance; and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Burk was arraigned on Oct. 6 before Magisterial District Judge Susanne V. Steffee and was released on a $500 unsecured bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Oct. 18 at 10:30 a.m.
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