A DeKalb County Criminal Court jury deliberated for less than an hour last Wednesday before finding Timothy Wade Ford, 40,  guilty of initiating a process for manufacturing methamphetamine.
Ford is one of three people accused of cooking meth at a Dry Creek swimming hole in Dowelltown last May.
 Ford is facing a possible 12-20 year sentence in the state penitentiary as well as the $15,000 fine imposed by the seven-woman, five-man jury.
State prosecutors have filed a notice with the court seeking enhanced punishment as a range II offender for Ford based on his prior criminal record.
Ford will be sentenced on May 20.
Assistant District Attorneys Greg Strong and Phillip Hatch prosecuted the case. Ford was represented by Jim Judkins.
Terry Wayne Daniels, 35, and 24-year-old Lydia R. Judkins were also arrested along with Ford and charged in this same case
The DeKalb County Sheriff's Department received a call on Friday, May 21of last year that a meth lab was being operated at the creek.
Deputies responding to the scene found an empty pick up truck, but no other activity at first.
Upon investigation of noise in a tall patch of nearby weeds about one hundred feet from the truck the deputies reportedly found Daniels and Judkins engaging in sexual activity.
After being alerted by the sound of clinking glass nearby the deputies discovered Ford kneeling in another tall weed patch surrounded by a two-liter bottle, tubing, drain cleaner, gloves, cold packs, jars that contained two-layered liquids, coleman fuel, funnels, alcohol, electrical tape, and other items.
According to deputies all three were arrested at the scene.
A search of Daniels' vehicle revealed more items  used in the manufacture of meth.
Deputies found a bag  containing a powdery substance believed to be ephedrine in Ford's pocket upon arrival at the jail.
Sheriff Patrick Ray, Deputy Jeremy Taylor and Deputy Steven Barrett testified for the prosecution.
While testifying in his own defense, Ford denied that the lab components were his.
Ford’s claim was that the three defendants took Daniels’ truck to the swimming hole that day with the meth lab components inside.
Ford said that Daniels and Judkins got out of the truck at the creek and left him alone with the lab.
He maintained that he removed the components from the vehicle and was hiding them in the weeds to avoid being discovered with them, when deputies discovered him.
Neither Daniels or Lydia Judkins were called to testify in the case.
Judkins pled guilty to initiation of the manufacture of meth in February.
She was sentenced to eight years, all suspended to probation supervised by community corrections.
She was fined $2,000 and given jail credit for time served from Oct. 10, 2010 to February 7 of this year.
The case against Daniels, who is charged with initiation of a process to manufacture methamphetamine as well, has yet to go to trial .