Staff Writer

WORCESTER — A routine traffic stop led to the early Monday arrest of a Worcester man who had been operating an illegal drug lab in his apartment, state police at Oneonta said.

Alfred K. Hill, 24, of Worcester was charged with obstructing governmental administration, resisting arrest and seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, all misdemeanors.

Troopers said Hill was arrested at about 2 a.m. after he and another man were stopped by troopers for running a stop sign on Main Street in Worcester, near Hill's apartment.

Hill, who resisted arrest and attempted to fight two Oneonta troopers, was found to be in possession of drug paraphernalia and what troopers say is likely crystal methamphetamine.

Troopers said they got a search warrant for Hill's apartment and found more drug paraphernalia and what is probably methamphetamine in the making. Troopers said the substance is being tested.

They said the paraphernalia found so far indicates Hill was manufacturing the drug to sell. Troopers said Monday they didn't know how much of the drug was found on Hill or at his house.

Hill was arraigned in the Worcester Town Court and is being held in Otsego County jail on $10,000 bail.

In on the arrest and subsequent investigation were troopers, the state police Community Narcotics Enforcement Task Force, and the state police and drug enforcement agency Clandestine Laboratory Reaction Team.

Troopers said there was no connection between Hill and two other cases in Otsego County in which methamphetamine labs were found.

Three men were arrested in October in connection with their production of methamphetamine in a homemade lab in the town of Decatur.

James M. Lord of Charlotteville, Tracy A. Lord of Richmondville and Shawn M. Briggs of Decatur were arrested and charged with felony conspiracy to manufacture, distribute and possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.

In August, Harold G. Pritchard of Burlington was arrested and charged with third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance after state police searched Pritchard's home and found what investigators called "one of the largest actively working methamphetamine manufacturing labs in the upstate area."

Troopers said an investigation is continuing and more charges against Hill are pending.