March 30, 2009 NEW CASTLE, Lawrence County-- A New Castle man and woman face charges for running a meth lab from their home where they lived with three small children. Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett says police arrested the two for allegedly making and distributing methamphetamine in Butler and Lawrence counties. Corbett says 34-year old Rocco Wing and 33-year old Martha Mills are accused of running a meth lab in a second-floor bedroom in their Uber Street home. The couple have daughters 14 and 7 years old, and an 7-month-old infant. Corbett says the infant rode in the back seat while the couple sold drugs in November. The Attorney General also points out methamphetamine production is dangerous because it requires the use of various chemicals and solvents which are harmful and volatile. "These two defendants put the children who lived in this house in a very dangerous situation," Corbett said. "Aside from the dangers normally associated with drug dealing and drug use, these children lived in a home with a meth lab, which exposed them to harmful chemicals and could have easily exploded or caught fire." Investigators say they tracked the alleged meth making activity by monitory Mills and Wing making the purchase of 15 single-box purchases of Sudafed at various area pharmacies. The investigation shows that in one instance, Mills and Wing bought Sudafed from five different pharmacies within a one-hour period. Corbett say that Wing used false identification in eight out of the nine times he purchased Sudafed. Corbett points out that Sudafed contains pseudoephedrine, which is a key ingredient in methamphetamine manufacturing. The case will be prosecuted in Lawrence County by Deputy Attorney General Kristine M. DeMarco of the Attorney General's Drug Strike Force. Wing and Mills are charged with the following: Rocco Wing is charged with four counts of possession of methamphetamine, four counts of manufacture and/or possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine, three counts of delivery of methamphetamine, three counts of recklessly endangering another person, one count of possession of hydrocodone, one count of manufacture and/or possession with intent to deliver hydrocodone, one count of delivery of hydrocodone, one count of manufacturing methamphetamine in a structure where a child is present, one count of possession of drug paraphernalia, one count of fraudulent acquisition of a controlled substance or immediate precursor, one count of possession of precursors/chemicals with intent to manufacture a controlled substance, one count of criminal conspiracy, one count of identity theft, one count of false identification to law enforcement and one count of criminal use of a communication facility. Wing faces maximum penalties of $1 million in fines and more than 150 years in prison. Martha Mills is charged with five counts of endangering the welfare of a child, four counts of possession of methamphetamine, four counts of manufacture and/or possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine, three counts of delivery of methamphetamine, three counts of recklessly endangering another person, one count of possession of hydrocodone, one count of manufacture and/or possession with intent to deliver hydrocodone, one count of delivery of hydrocodone, one count of manufacturing methamphetamine in a structure where a child is present, one count of possession of drug paraphernalia, one count of possession of precursors/chemicals with intent to manufacture a controlled substance, one count of criminal conspiracy, and one count of criminal use of a communication facility. Mills faces maximum penalties of $500,000 in fines and more than 100 years in prison.
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