A man already facing charges of operating a meth lab inside his Wadsworth home has run afoul of authorities again.
Gary Hubbard of the Medina County Drug Task Force said Eric Thomas, 27, has been arrested a second time – again accused of operating a meth lab out of his Plum Creek Drive home in Wadsworth.
Thomas was arrested after Wadsworth police said they discovered methamphetamine in his car during a traffic stop.
Hubbard said Thomas told officers that he had an “active meth lab at his home.”
Task force agents went to the home Thursday afternoon and said they discovered a meth lab in the basement, along with materials used to make the drug.
Thomas’ brother-in-law, Michael Armbruster, 30, of Barberton, was arrested at the home. Armbruster was taken into custody because he had an active felony arrest warrant through Summit County after failing to appear on a previous methamphetamine-related arrest.
Armbruster also faces a charge of manufacturing methamphetamine related to Thursday’s raid.
At the time of Thursday’s arrest, Thomas had been out on bail for an incident May 14, when he was accused of selling methamphetamine to an undercover task force agent. A search of the Plum Creek Drive home in May also uncovered an active meth lab, authorities said.
In the May case, Thomas was charged with drug trafficking, drug manufacturing, illegal assembly of chemicals and child endangering.
“The manufacturing of methamphetamine is an extremely dangerous and volatile process,” Hubbard said. “Even in the hands of specially trained professionals, the potential for fire or explosion is of great cause for concern.
“In January 2012, a house fire in the village of Lodi was due to a meth lab explosion.”
