Whitman County traffic stop results in discovery of alleged mobile meth lab, arrest of Spokane residents

A routine traffic stop just outside of Garfield on Sunday morning resulted in the arrests of a man and a woman after the Whitman County Sheriff’s Office allegedly discovered the components of a mobile methamphetamine lab in their vehicle.

Jesse Reyes, 53, and Jennifer Heaton, 44, both of Spokane, were booked into the Whitman County Jail on charges of suspicion of manufacturing a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance. Heaton was also cited for suspicion of driving with a suspended license.

According to a news release from the sheriff’s office, WCSO was contacted by a Garfield police officer just before noon after the officer made a traffic stop and suspected there may be narcotics in the vehicle. WCSO responded with its K-9 unit, and the dog made clear indications that there were illegal narcotics in the vehicle.

A search warrant was then granted based on the K-9 alert and a small amount of methamphetamine was allegedly discovered at that time. Filters, lithium batteries, hoses, glassware, pseudoephedrine pills and containers with anhydrous ammonia were allegedly later found in the vehicle, according to a news release.

WCSO contacted the Washington State Meth Lab Team out of Olympia, which processed the evidence located within the vehicle and determined it housed the components of a fully capable mobile meth lab.

Reyes is being held on $50,000 bond, while Heaton is being held on $25,000 bond.