Three Arrested In Bella Vista Meth Bust

Dylan Utsler

Dylan Utsler

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

BENTONVILLE -- Benton County Sheriff's Office deputies arrested three people Friday and dismantled a Bella Vista methamphetamine operation that contained 175 to 200 'one pot' labs.

Allen Wade Utsler, 40, was arrested in connection with manufacturing a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of firearms by certain persons, simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms and possession with intent to deliver. He is being held in the Benton County Jail on a $100,000 bond, according to a news release.

Dylan Wade Utsler, 20, was arrested in connection with possession with intent to deliver, possession of drug paraphernalia, manufacturing a controlled substance and possession of firearms by certain persons. He is being held in the county jail on a $50,000 bond, according to the release.

Kelly Jean McCabe, 37, was arrested in connection with possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a controlled substance. She was released from the county jail on a $25,000 bond.

One pot, also called shake and bake, involves cooking meth by using a chemical reaction in a small, plastic bottle.

A confidential informant said Allen Utsler was using his Bella Vista home to sell methamphetamine, according to the probable cause affidavit. A search warrant was served at 1 Truro Lane.

The one pot method could produce $1,500 in methamphetamine. The street value for methamphetamine is $100 per gram, said Dustin Todd, a narcotics detective with the Sheriff's Office.

Todd said the one pot method is a dangerous. It could result in an explosion and the chemicals released in the cooking process also are dangerous, Todd said.

"Anytime you are dealing with meth labs they can blow up," Todd said.

Detectives drove by the home Thursday and took two white bags from a trash can placed by the road next to a mailbox, according to the probable cause affidavit.

Some of the trash in one of the bags showed a positive indication for methamphetamine on a field test, according to the probable cause affidavit.

Allen Utsler wouldn't answer questions from detectives. He told a detective he would bring him a pound of methamphetamine if the detective would let Utsler's son and McCabe go, according to the probable cause affidavit.

NW News on 05/07/2014