Staff Writer

PORTLANDVILLE - An alleged methamphetamine lab was found in the home of a Portlandville man Wednesday, after he was arrested following a domestic dispute, Otsego deputies said.

Terry A. Sawyer was arrested on charges of second-degree and fourth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, both felonies; resisting arrest and endangering the welfare of a child, both misdemeanors; and second-degree harassment, a violation.

Sawyer, 39, fled on foot after deputies responded to a domestic dispute in the Riverside Trailer Park on Wednesday, according to the Otsego County Sheriff's Department. He was found by Deputy Stanley Cade and a police dog while hiding near an embankment, deputies said.

The deputy placed Sawyer under arrest on charges of second-degree harassment because of alleged physical contact during the domestic dispute, deputies said, and he failed to comply with the deputy's commands to be handcuffed. He was then taken into custody by Cade and another deputy without incident.

A search during Sawyer's arrest revealed that he was in possession of several grams of methamphetamine, deputies said, and an active methamphetamine laboratory was found during a search of his residence.

Sawyer was arraigned in the Milford Town Court on Thursday and sent to Otsego County jail on $10,000 bail, deputies said.

The state police Clandestine Laboratory Response Team and the state DEC Police Hazardous Substance Response Team dismantled the lab Thursday and found methamphetamine inside the trailer.

Sawyer was charged with endangering the welfare of a child for allegedly cooking the meth with a 3-year-old in the house, deputies said.

The arrest is the fourth meth-related incident in Otsego County since August. Alfred K. Hill, 24, of Worcester was arrested during a routine traffic stop on Monday, state police at Oneonta said, when he was found to be in possession of drug paraphernalia and what troopers said was likely crystal meth.

Troopers said a search of Hill's apartment yielded more drug paraphernalia and what is probably methamphetamine in the making. The substance is being tested, they said, and the paraphernalia found so far indicates Hill was manufacturing the drug to sell.

Three men were arrested in October in connection with their production of meth 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 his 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.

———

Melissa Scram can be reached at mscram@thedailystar.com or (607) 441-7213.