2 Arrested After State Police Find Meth Lab Outside Vernon McDonald's

State police have arrested two people in an investigation to determine whether a van stopped in the parking lot of a McDonald's restaurant in Vernon may have been a mobile meth lab.

Troopers responded to Interstate 84 westbound near the exit 67 ramp at 12:50 p.m. on Thursday as they looked for a red Ford Transit van driven by an "over-due" person. Driver Sheng Clevenger, 24, of Salisbury, North Carolina, and his 17-year-old female passenger hadn't gotten to his destination by a certain time and were considered missing, state police said. By 1 p.m., they found the van in the 74 Reservoir Road McDonald's parking lot in the Rockville section of Vernon.

Police interviewed Clevenger and his passenger. They found a large number of chemicals inside that they recognized as materials to make methamphetamine. Troopers suspected it was a mobile meth lab.

State police evacuated and secured the area, calling state police North Central narcotics detectives, Vernon firefighters, the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection hazardous material team and the DEA to the scene. Vernon police and the East Central Nartcotics Team also assisted with the investigation.

State lab workers analyzed the chemicals to figure out if they were being used to make drugs.

State police charged Clevenger with possession of methamphetamine, operating a drug factory, possession of drug paraphernalia, weapons in a motor vehicle and reckless endangerment. The teen faces identical charges. Her name hasn't been released because she's under 18.

Authorities are still investigating.

Clevenger was held in custody on a $500,000 bond and the teen was released to the custody of juvenile detention. She will appear in juvenile court and Clevenger will appear in Rockville Superior Court.
 

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