Warren County Sheriff's Department deputies served a search warrant at the home of David J. Schirmer, 48, 31595 Honey Locust Road in Jonesburg. The warrant was served at around 8 a.m., according to …
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Warren County Sheriff's Department deputies served a search warrant at the home of David J. Schirmer, 48, 31595 Honey Locust Road in Jonesburg. The warrant was served at around 8 a.m., according to sheriff's deputies. Schirmer was taken into custody without incident and is being held in the Warren County Jail on a $35,000 bond. He was charged with the operation of an active meth lab, possessing precursor ingredients to manufacture meth and possession of marijuana. During a search of Schirmer's property, authorities discovered several small propane tanks containing anhydrous ammonia, a primary ingredient in the manufacture of meth. "This property was a location we've had under investigation for some time," said Warren County Sheriff Kevin Harrison. "It was a complete, active lab which has now ceased to operate." Also participating in the raid last Thursday were agents from the East Central Drug Task Force (ECDTF) and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Of particular interest to the officers were a number of buried, small propane tanks which were discovered in the backyard on Schirmer's property. DNR agents speculated they had been previously used in the manufacture of methamphetemine, although they did not appear to contain anhydrous ammonia on the day of the raid. "You can tell these tanks have been used before to make meth," said DNR agent Doug Thompson. "The valve stem is discolored, usually a sure sign the tank has been used for that purpose." Thompson said DNR and law enforcement agents typically shoot holes in the small tanks with a handgun to prevent them being used again in the meth-making process. The small tanks, officials said, are about one-third of the size of a normal propane tank which people would use to power an outdoor grill. "They're ideal for a meth operation," Thompson noted, "because they are small and easy to transport." Agents also said they seized a quantity of over-the-counter pills containing pseudoephedrine, another ingredient in the manufacture of meth. "It was pretty messy inside the house," one DNR agent said as he removed the confiscated materials from Schirmer's residence. "The inside was completely trashed. It's obvious what was going on here." Schirmer's arraignment has been set for Monday, Aug. 11, at 9 a.m.
