Smell tips off hotel guests about meth lab in room

Historic City News reporters in St Augustine were notified that shortly before 5:00 a.m. this morning, several guests of the Days Inn, at I-95 and 2550 SR-16, reported that they observed strange activity and smells coming from Room 244 — the night manager led deputies to the room to find a clandestine methamphetamine lab.

32-year-old Eric Peter Messler, Jr who resides at 255 Boulevard Des Pins in Saint Augustine and 32-year-old Tammy Diane Roy who resides at 640 Kings Estate Rd in Saint Augustine are each charged with manufacturing of methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, and possession of paraphernalia.

“I have had a drug addiction for as long as I can remember,” Messler wrote in an affidavit this morning. “I am on my way to jail for having a meth lab in my motel room.” He stated that he had cooked methamphetamine in the room in a “one pot” lab at around 9:00 p.m. Monday night.

Roy also wrote an affidavit stating that she has been a drug addict for 14 years. She lists her employment as a “stay at home mom”, however, for the last couple of months, she wrote that she has been staying in hotels using and cooking methamphetamine.

Staying in the room with the couple was a dog. Both Messler and Roy were decontaminated and transported to the St Johns County Detention Facility at the Neil J Perry Criminal Justice Complex, without incident. The dog was left in the room until the Clandestine Methamphetamine Lab team could remove it from the room safely.

According to sheriff’s spokesman Kevin Kelshaw, in addition to Room 244, two adjacent rooms were also closed until contamination testing was completed. The St Johns County Sheriff’s Office Clandestine Lab Enforcement Team responded and processed the scene.

Wearing fire-retardant NOMEX suits and self-contained breathing apparatus, the first team, deputies Tuchanneri and Carroll, entered the motel room at about 5:00 a.m. today. Shortly thereafter, the second team, deputies Charles Mason and Mike Soles, entered the room and began to collect evidence; suited with TyChem protective clothing and breathing apparatus. A tertiary team, deputies Evans and Self-Medlin, entered about 10 minutes later to assist with evidence collection.

Some of the items discovered during the search included several blister packs for nasal decongestant, clear plastic container with unknown liquid and a saturated coffee filter as well as a pink plastic bowl containing unused coffee filters, a blue plastic 18-gallon bin containing assorted cooking equipment and drug paraphernalia, two gas generators, clear plastic tubing, “Clear Shot” drain cleaner, tray containing syringes, a lighter and a spoon.