Two individuals charged with making methamphetamine together in 2014 have been charged with meth-related offenses again this week after the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office Drug Unit and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation dismantled a makeshift meth lab in Chocowinity.

According to a press release from the BCSO, investigators executed a search warrant Monday at 415 Carrow Road after receiving complaints from the community that meth was being manufactured on the property. The search warrant yielded both methamphetamine and the remains of a meth lab that contained toxic materials used in the one pot “shake and bake” method of manufacturing the drug.

Donnie Mayo, 44, of 415 Carrow Road, was charged with manufacturing methamphetamine, possession with intent to sell and deliver methamphetamine, maintaining a dwelling for keeping and selling a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Gina Elizabeth Whaley, 39, of 2252 Archie Mobley Road in Williamston, was charged with possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Because of the toxic and potentially explosive nature of the lab, specially trained personnel from the SBI took care of dismantling the lab and disposing of the chemicals involved.

“They have to package those things up in containers so they won’t leak and then they have their own disposal site that they carry them to,” BCSO Drug Unit Lt. Russell Davenport said. “It’s very, very dangerous.”

According to Davenport, both Mayo and Whaley were charged with manufacturing methamphetamine in 2014 at the same address. This time around, Davenport said investigators found no evidence that Whaley was involved in manufacturing.

Whaley was paroled in September 2017 and Mayo was released in July of this year after serving sentences for the 2014 offenses. Mayo was still under post release conditions from his 2014 conviction when he was charged earlier this week.

Whaley was held in the Beaufort County Detention Center under a $5,000 secured bond. Mayo was held in the Beaufort County Detention Center under no bond. Davenport said this is because Mayo’s record of involvement with meth labs presents a danger to the community.

“There’s a general statute for meth labs that they are a danger to the community,” Davenport said. “They can cause explosions from toxic materials that are put together when they’re cooking or manufacturing the meth. Not only do you put yourself in danger, you put the public in danger also. So, we would argue that he’s a danger to the public.”