Drug lab found in S. Tahoe apartment, resident arrested

By Kathryn Reed

A homemade contraption to extract THC from marijuana, along with ecstasy and Oxycontin pills were seized from an apartment in South Lake Tahoe on Thursday afternoon.

“This can blow up just as easily as a meth lab,” SLEDNET Cmdr. Jeff Catchings told Lake Tahoe News. “They are very dangerous, especially the type of lab he had.”

Officers with South Lake El Dorado Narcotics Enforcement Team went to the residence on Lake Tahoe Boulevard just after 2pm on a probation search. Tyrone Brown, 27, was on probation for domestic violence.

Now Brown faces charges of being in possession of a drug lab, manufacturing narcotics, possession of narcotics within 1,000 feet of a school (there is a preschool close by), and possession of the pills. An enhancement could be added because a child was living in the house.

He posted bail, which was set at $117,500, the same day.

Brown’s girlfriend and her 11-year-old daughter also live in the apartment. The woman was not arrested, but Catchings said Child Protective Services has been notified. It’s possible she could be charged with maintaining a house for drug use.

“We did not see a need to remove (the child) from the house since we removed the problem — namely him,” Catchings said.

Evidence the suspect was selling drugs was found, but not much money, Catchings said.

Some of the trash from the lab was scattered on the lawn of the Sierra Vista complex. Now it’s in police custody.

Catchings said butane honey oil labs are not common in Tahoe, but they are growing in number. Marijuana sellers have to do something with the leftover product – dump it, burn it or extract it. The extracted product is sellable.

Catchings explained the extracted THC can be put in food products, smoked and used in other ways.