United States Drug Enforcement Administration

JAN 22— Washington, D.C. - The Special Agent-in-Charge (SAC), Ms. Laura M. Nagel of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) announced that a methamphetamine lab had been disabled. The DEA worked with the Charles County Sheriff's Office who uncovered a methamphetamine lab on January 12 and arrested a 28-year-old man for manufacturing the drug.

Law Enforcement Officers responded to an undisclosed Waldorf, Maryland, motel at 2:27 a.m. on January 12 after receiving a complaint of drug activity in one of the hotel rooms. Upon arrival, officers detected a very strong chemical odor coming from the room. Officers entered the room and discovered paraphernalia used to manufacture methamphetamine. Officers also located Paul Thomas Loftus, 28, of White Plains, and a 17-year-old girl inside the hotel room. Loftus allegedly had an object in his mouth and, when an officer attempted to retrieve the item, Loftus allegedly became belligerent and a struggle ensued. Officers were eventually able to subdue Loftus and place him in custody. The object in Loftus' mouth was found to be methamphetamine. 

Narcotics officers responded to the scene with a search warrant. They recovered $1400 worth of the finished product of methamphetamine, all the materials used to product methamphetamine, packaging materials, $300 worth of cocaine and a cutting agent, 200 ecstasy pills with a street value of $5000 and an undisclosed amount of money. 

Loftus was charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Possession with Intent to Distribute Ecstasy, Possession of Cocaine, Possession of Methamphetamine, Ecstasy, and Possession of Illegal Narcotic Production Materials, and is being held at the Charles County Detention Center on a $500,000 bond. 

The 17-year-old girl was charged via a Juvenile Offense Report with Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and was released to a parent. 

SAC Laura Nagel expressed that, "this individual is involved in the manufacture of methamphetamine which is a drug that has grown in abuse, in recent years. The Charles County Sheriff's Office and the DEA worked well together to disable a methamphetamine lab that no longer has the potential to produce this drug, and as well the lab can be extremely volatile and a detriment to the community".