Johnson City police located what investigators said was the largest meth lab ever found in the city this week when they followed up on a tip about the highly addictive drug being made at a residence.
The warrant filed in Washington County Sessions Court by JCPD Investigator Mark Hollis said officers found a total of 26 one-pot meth bottles, 38 urine one-pot meth bottles, a little more than two grams of methamphetamine as well as multiple items used to make the highly addictive drug during the search of a South Roan Street residence.
Investigator Mike Adams, who is also director of 1st Judicial Drug Task Force, said urine meth bottles like the ones found at Daniel K. Hylmon’s house are the result of a meth user’s urine being collected and then “cooked” to extract meth in the liquid.
“If you smoke more meth than your body can absorb, it will excrete through urine,” Adams said. It’s becoming more common for investigators to locate urine meth bottles at meth labs or areas where meth bottles are disposed.
“They can re-cook the meth out of the urine,” Adams said. “You can actually see the meth settle in the bottle of a meth user’s urine.”
The filing — a warrant charging Hylmon with promotion of methamphetamine manufacture, initiation of the process to manufacture methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of drug paraphernalia and aggravated child abuse — also detailed items found in the basement of a house where he lived and made meth.
Hylmon, 23, 201 S. North St., was arrested Wednesday afternoon following a “knock and talk” at his house. Investigators went to Hylmon’s residence after getting a tip from a “reliable confidential informant” about drug production.
During the investigation, which kept officers at the residence about eight hours Wednesday, Hylmon allegedly said he “sold drugs” for a living.
“Sgt. (Eric) Dougherty ... asked (Hylmon) what he did for work and Hylmon stated he sold drugs,” Hollis’ warrant said.
When officers arrived at the residence, they first spoke to Sherry Forbes, identified in documents as Hylmon’s mother. She is also the mother of a 9-year-old boy found at the residence who was exposed to the meth-making process, police said, resulting in the aggravated child abuse charge against Hylmon.
She told officers she was unaware about anyone making meth in her home, but allowed them to conduct a search.
Hylmon, who was in the basement when officers first arrived, also denied anyone was making meth inside the home. Investigators said they soon learned otherwise.
Hylmon told officers no one else was in the basement with him, but officers found two men hiding there. They also located a one-pot meth bottle sitting on the floor under a table during the initial search.
During a more-thorough search of the basement, officers found items used to make meth — Coleman fuel, coffee filters, salt, drain cleaner and tubing — as well as syringes, digital scales and a drug ledger.
They also found six trash bags that contained empty cold medicine boxes, lithium battery casings, empty pseudoephedrine blister packs, empty drain cleaner bottles, empty Coleman fuel bottles, rock salt, regular salt, gassers, one-pot meth bottles, one-pot urine bottles, syringes and plastic tubing.
Other trash bags found outside the residence contained more of those items, police said.
Adams said everyone at the house was told to leave Wednesday because of the toxicity that builds up from the meth production process. He said the house would be quarantined until it is cleaned.
He said investigators don’t know exactly how long meth was being made at the house, but “with that amount of used one-pots, obviously (he has) been doing it quite a while.”
Hylmon was scheduled to be arraigned in Sessions Court on Thursday. He was being held on $80,000 bond.
Officers said the investigation was continuing.———Earlier report posted at 7:48 a.m.:Child abuse and other charges were placed against a man Wednesday after a tip about meth production led Johnson City police to his residence.
Daniel Hylmon, 23, 201 S. North St., was arrested after police found a large number of “one pot” labs, along with a quantity of finished methamphetamine, at the residence, police said.
Hylmon was charged with promotion of methamphetamine manufacture, initiation of the process to manufacture methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of drug paraphernalia and aggravated child abuse.
Agents from the 1st Judicial District Drug Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Johnson City Fire department also responded.
Hylmon was jailed in the Washington County Detention Center on $80,000 bond pending a Sessions Court appearance today.
Keep visiting JohnsonCityPress.com for more details on the case as they become available.