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Local man caught with meth lab in Cookeville
lincoln W
LINCOLN

A Smithville man and a woman from Cookeville were taken into custody last week after Cookeville police allegedly found a meth lab in their truck on June 16.

 

Caleb Andrew Lincoln, 40, of Smithville, and 29-year-old Michelle C. Clouse of Cookeville were both charged with manufacturing a controlled substance after police conducted a traffic stop for following a vehicle in front of them too closely. Lincoln also faces charges of driving under the restriction of being a habitual motor offender, and Clouse later garnered a charge of introduction of drugs into a penal facility.

 

Cookeville Police Officer Dustin Hensley’s report reads that he "observed a blue Ford Ranger following extremely close behind a silver truck heading east on Broad Street. Getting behind the blue Ford Ranger I also observed it was displaying an expired registration from April 2015. I then conducted a traffic stop at 2500 West Jackson Street. I approached the driver’s side of the vehicle and asked the male driver, who I later found out to be Caleb Lincoln, for his identification. Mr. Lincoln said he didn't have his driver’s license on him. I asked him if he had a driver license, and he said he did not. I then asked the female passenger who was later identified as Michelle Clouse if she had any identification, and she said she didn't. I explained to Mr. Lincoln the reason for the traffic stop, and he admitted to following too close to the vehicle in front of him. I also noticed that Mr. Lincoln had a fresh red bloody area in the crevice of his right arm that he was trying to cover up with a bandage. I asked Mr. Lincoln when was the last time that he had "shot up" and he said about 10 days ago. I then asked both subjects if there was anything illegal in the vehicle and Ms. Clouse said no, but Mr. Lincoln was very hesitant about answering. Mr. Lincoln then said he had some methamphetamine residue and some "rigs," the report continued.

 

"While waiting for my backup to arrive before searching the vehicle, a computer check of Mr. Lincoln through dispatch revealed that he had an active warrant in Putnam County and that he was an Habitual Motor Offender in the state of Tennessee. Mr. Lincoln was placed under arrest in double locked restraints with his hands behind his back. During my search of the vehicle I found in the bed of the truck a plastic "Walmart" bag with a plastic one-gallon jug. It was ¼ of the way full of a bi-layer, separating liquids commonly used in the "One Pot" method of manufacturing methamphetamine," the officer reported.

 

"At this time I had (another officer) detain Ms. Clouse in double locked restraints behind her back. I also found in the bed of the truck in a separate Walmart bag an empty Mason quart jar that had white residue. Inside of a yellow "Dollar General" bag in the bed of the truck was a Lithium battery that had been cut open with the Lithium strip removed, and a folded up coffee filter that had a white substance that field tested positive for methamphetamine. Searching inside of the truck, I found a "K Swiss" back pack that Mr. Lincoln said was his. Inside of the back pack was a black case with 2 used syringes, 8 coffee filters and 3 feet of hollow tubing that had a clear liquid in it. From my training at the Methamphetamine Task Force these components are commonly used to process and manufacture methamphetamine. Both subjects were transported to the Putnam County Sheriff's Office where they were charged accordingly.

 

"After arriving at the Putnam County Sheriff's Office, (another officer) told me that a female Corrections Officer had found a small plastic bag with a white substance believed to be methamphetamine around the crotch area of Ms. Clouse. Ms. Clouse was also charged with introduction into a penal facility."

 

Lincoln’s bond was set at $30,000, and Clouse's was set at $10,000. They will appear in court in Putnam County next month.