Benjamin L. Fetters
By Tim Arnett
WABASH,Indiana – A Wabash County man is accused by police of having an active meth lab in the bathroom of his residence while his 10-month-baby stayed and slept in the next room. Benjamin L. Fetters, 22 of rural North Manchester, is facing dealing in methamphetamine as a level 4 felony, possession of meth as a level 5 felony, illegal possession of chemical reagents and legal possession of a syringe charges from an incident occurring on May 31st.
According to a probable cause affidavit by Wabash County Sheriff’s Deputy Eric Ryggs, central dispatch received an anonymous tip that Fetters was manufacturing meth is a barn in rural North Manchester and smoking it in a bedroom closet with his young child in the room. Four deputies from the Wabash County Sheriff’s Department arrived at the location and Fetters let them inside after they inquired about the well being of his baby. Ryggs’ affidavit says that the residence was cluttered to such a degree it was difficult to move through. Fetters produced the 10-month-old and when asked for proof that the child was getting enough to eat, Fetters took the officers to an unplugged fridge which contained several baby food jars.
Fetters then took the deputies into the bedroom and said that his girlfriend and mother of his baby, Boniqua L. Jones, 20, was in the shower. Ryggs affidavit states that Deputy Steve Hicks informed that he noticed a smoking pipe on the night stand. The DCS was immediately contacted and a search warrant was obtained. After a search in the early morning hours of June 1st, deputies located pipes, bongs, needles, a plastic baggie containing a white powdery substance which field tested positive for meth, coffee filters with a substance which field tested positive for meth and and a bowl with a substance which field tested positive for meth. The Wabash County Drug Task Force was called and an officer with that unit informed that he located an active meth lab in the bathroom of the residence.
During an interrogation on June 2nd, police allege that Fetters admitted to manufacturing meth the day before – but that he always cooks it outside and not in the bathroom. An affidavit of probable cause by a member of the Wabash County Drug Task Force states that he picked over the bathroom and located items used in the cooking of meth and evidence of a one-pot meth lab. A large black tote by the toilet which police allege contained a meth lab was “removed from the residence for everyone’s safety.”
Boniqua L. Jones
Jones, who was also found at the scene, was arrested and is facing possession of methamphetamine as a level 5 felony and maintaining a common nuisance. The baby was put to the custody of DCS and taken to the hospital that evening for further evaluation.