The Butler Township man already in state prison for operating a methamphetamine laboratory at his residence will not have to serve more time behind bars after admitting Friday in Schuylkill County Court that he possessed drug paraphernalia in July 2013 in Shenandoah.
Duane H. Maurer, 51, of Fountain Springs, pleaded guilty to possession of drug paraphernalia.
Judge James P. Goodman accepted Maurer’s plea and sentenced him to serve six to 12 months in prison and pay costs and $100 to the Substance Abuse Education Fund. Goodman made the sentence concurrent with the one Maurer already is serving.
Shenandoah police alleged Maurer possessed needles, lithium batteries and other paraphernalia on July 9, 2013, in the borough.
Maurer pleaded guilty April 4, 2014, to four counts of possession of chemicals with intent to manufacture a controlled substance and one each of manufacture of a controlled substance, risking a catastrophe and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Judge Cyrus Palmer Dolbin accepted Maurer’s plea, and, pursuant to an agreement between prosecutors and the defendant, sentenced him to serve 27 to 54 months in a state correctional institution, pay costs, a $100 SAEF payment, $50 to the Criminal Justice Enhancement Account and $2,241 restitution, and submit a DNA sample to law enforcement authorities. Maurer is serving his sentence at SCI/Pittsburgh.
Butler Township police alleged Maurer and Deborah A. Reedy, 59, of Pottsville, operated a meth lab on June 10, 2013, at their home at 406 Catherine St., Fountain Springs.
Police said they entered the home after neighbors reported an unusual odor coming from it. Once inside, police said, they called firefighters, who detected a high concentration of an ammonia-based odor.
Firefighters found what they believed to be the source of the odor on the basement steps, where a 16-ounce plastic bottle with tubes fixed to the lid and a glass jar containing a milky, oily white substance were found, according to police.
Police said they contacted the Schuylkill County Drug Task Force and the state police Clandestine Laboratory Response Team for assistance.