| Probable cause affidavit: |
SUBMITTED BY: SMITH, STEVE 0292 (AR12124300) DID UNLAWFULLY MANUFACTURE METHAMPHETAMINE FOR THE PURPOSE OF USE, SELL, OR DISTRIBUTION, IN VIOLATION OF FLORIDA STATE STATUTE 893.13(1)(A)(1). ON 010812, I WAS CONTACTED BY DEPUTY STRICKLAND AND ADVISED THAT THEY HAD RESPONDED TO A RESIDENCE IN REFERENCE TO A GARBAGE CAN BEING ON FIRE. UPON ARRIVAL, THEY OBSERVED THE GARBAGE CAN WHICH WAS SMOKING AND EMITTING A GASSY SMELL. THEY WERE ADVISED BY THE HOMEOWNER THAT THE INSIDE OF THE CAMPER, WHICH IS AT THE REAR OF HER RESIDENCE, ALSO HAD SOME TYPE OF FIRE INSIDE OF IT. DUE TO THE NATURE OF THE FIRE AND SMOKING TRASH CAN INCLUDING THE SMELL, THE DEPUTIES AT SCENE BELIEVED IT TO BE METHAMPHETAMINE RELATED AND CONTACTED THIS DEPUTY. AT THIS TIME, I RESPONDED TO THE SCENE. UPON ARRIVAL, I MADE CONTACT WITH HAZMAT. AT THIS TIME, WE APPROACHED THE TRASH CAN WHICH WAS STILL SMOKING. UPON CHECKING THE GARBAGE CAN, IT WAS OBSERVED THAT THERE WAS A BOOK BAG INSIDE THAT WAS SMOKING WHICH HAD APPEARED TO BE ON FIRE WHICH STILL HAD CHEMICALS INSIDE OF IT. ALSO LOCATED in the TRASH CAN WERE FOUR ONE POT METHAMPHETAMINE COOKS, A CAN OF COLEMAN FUEL, USED COFFEE FILTERS, HOMEMADE FUNNELS, SUDAFED BOXES, AND LITHIUM BATTERY CASINGS. ALL THESE ITEMS ARE REMNANTS OF A METHAMPHETAMINE COOK. AT THIS TIME, MYSELF AND FIRE MADE ENTRY INTO THE TRAVEL TRAILER TO VERIFY THAT THERE WAS NO FIRE OR INJURED PERSONS INSIDE. UPON WALKING THROUGH THE DOOR AND LOOKING DIRECTLY TO MY RIGHT, IN A BOX ON THE BED WAS LAB COMPONENTS TO INCLUDE RED DEVIL LIE, AMMONIA NITRATE, LITHIUM BATTERIES, GLOVES, AND LIQUID FIRE. UPON CHECKING THE BATHROOM AREA, IT WAS OBSERVED THERE WAS CHEMICAL IN THE FLOOR AND ON THE TOILET. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT YOU COULD TELL THERE WAS A FIRE AND THE SUSPECT(S) ATTEMPTED TO PUT THE FIRE OUT BY FILLING THE TOILET WITH SAND. UPON VERIFYING THAT THERE WAS NO FIRE THREAT OR PERSONS IN THE TRAILER, WE IMMEDIATELY LEFT THE TRAILER SECURING THE SCENE. AT THIS TIME, I MADE CONTACT WITH THE HOMEOWNER, THE SUSPECTS' GRANDMOTHER, WHO ADVISED THAT ON TODAY'S DATE IN THE AFTERNOON SHE OBSERVED SUSPECT, MR JOHN GROMLING, TOTE THE BOX CONTAINING ALL OF THE MANUFACTURING ITEMS INTO THE RESIDENCE. WE ALSO MADE CONTACT WITH A WITNESS WHO STATED THAT HE OBSERVED THE TWO SUSPECTS, MR JOHN GROMLING AND MR JAMES GROMLING, BURPING A BOTTLE FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES. ALSO WITH THEM WAS A SUSPECT FEMALE. THE WITNESS ADVISED THAT JAMES WAS THE PRIMARY PERSON DEALING WITH THE BOTTLE. THE WITNESS WENT INTO DETAIL ABOUT HOW MR JAMES GROMLING HANDLED THE BOTTLE TO INCLUDE WRAPPING BLACK TAPE AROUND THE END OF THE BOTTLE. IT should BE NOTED THAT IN THE ONE POT COOKS RECOVERED AT THE SCENE ALL HAD BLACK TAPE AROUND THE END WHICH IS EXTREMELY UNUSUAL. THIS DEPUTY HAS NEVER SEEN THIS BEFORE IN ANY OF THE OTHER NUMEROUS LABS I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN. THE SCENE WAS SECURED. A "BOLO" WAS ISSUED FOR THE TWO SUSPECTS WHO WERE LATER LOCATED, ARRESTED, AND SUBSEQUENTLY TRANSPORTED TO THE CITRUS COUNTY DETENTION FACILITY WITHOUT INCIDENT. AT THIS TIME, MYSELF AND DETECTIVE BERGEN RESPONDED TO THE DETENTION FACILITY WHERE WE FIRST CONDUCTED AN INTERVIEW WITH MR JOHN GROMLING WHO ADMITTED HIS INVOLVEMENT IN THE MANUFACTURE OF METHAMPHETAMINE. HE ADMITTED TO BUYING SUDAFED AT THE DIRECTION OF HIS BROTHER. HE ALSO ADMITTED TO HELPING IN THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS. HE ADVISED HE AND HIS BROTHER, MR JAMES GROMLING, HAD BEEN MANUFACTURING METHAMPHETAMINE IN THE CAMPER TRAILER FOR APPROXIMATELY A MONTH AND A HALF TO TWO MONTHS. HE ALSO ADMITTED TO CARRYING THE BOX INSIDE THE RESIDENCE AND TO THE FACT THAT HE AND HIS BROTHER USED THE METHAMPHETAMINE THAT THEY MANUFACTURED. HE ALSO ADVISED THAT HIS BROTHER DOES HAVE A WRITTEN RECIPE THAT HE GOES BY. HE ADVISED HE DOES NOT KNOW WHERE HIS BROTHER KEPT IT BUT THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE BACK IN THE TRAVEL TRAILER. UPON COMPLETION OF THIS INTERVIEW, WE MADE CONTACT WITH SUSPECT, MR JAMES GROMLING, WHO ADVISED THAT THE ONLY THING HE WANTED TO TELL A DETECTIVE WAS TO "SUCK HIS DICK". UPON MR JAMES GROMLING BEING COMPLETED WITH HIS FINGERPRINTING AS HE WAS BEING TAKEN BACK NEXT DOOR, HE DID START CONVERSATION WITH THIS DEPUTY ASKING HOW WE HAD PERMISSION TO GO INSIDE THE RESIDENCE. HE STATED THAT IT DOES NOT REALLY MATTER BECAUSE HE IS LOOKING AT 15 YEARS AND THAT HE HAD NOTHING TO LOOSE SO GO AHEAD AND CHARGE HIM WITH WHATEVER WE WANTED. UPON CHECKING THE TWO DEFENDANTS PROPERTY BEFORE IT WAS TURNED OVER TO THE DETENTION FACILITY, IN MR JAMES GROMLING'S WALLET THERE WERE FOUR RECEIPTS LOCATED FOR THE PURCHASE OF SUDAFED. THERE WAS ALSO A DETAILED RECIPE OF HOW TO MANUFACTURE METHAMPHETAMINE LOCATED IN HIS WALLET. THESE ITEMS WERE TAKEN IN TO EVIDENCE BY THIS DEPUTY. IN REFERENCE TO THE RESIDENCE, A SEARCH WARRANT WILL BE INITIATED TOMORROW MORNING WHICH SHOULD RESULT IN FURTHER CHARGES. BOND WAS SET AT ON BOTH DEFENDANTS DUE TO THE INFORMATION RECEIVED THAT THEY WERE ATTEMPTING TO FLEE TO GEORGIA WHEN A TRAFFIC STOP WAS CONDUCTED AND THEY WERE TAKEN INTO CUSTODY. IT SHOULD ALSO BE NOTED THAT DURING THE INTERVIEW OF MR JOHN GROMLING HE DID ADMIT THAT THEY WERE GOING TO RUN FROM THESE CHARGES AND ATTEMPT TO MAKE IT TO GEORGIA. "IF YOU ARE A PERSON WITH A DISABILITY WHO NEEDS ANY ACCOMMODATION IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROCEEDING, YOU ARE ENTITLED, AT NO COST TO YOU, TO THE PROVISION OF CERTAIN ASSISTANCE. PLEASE CONTACT THE ADA COORDINATOR AT THE OFFICE OF THE TRIAL COURT ADMINISTRATOR, CITRUS COUNTY COURTHOUSE, 110 NORTH APOPKA AVENUE, INVERNESS, FLORIDA 34450, TELEPHONE (352) 341-6700, AT LEAST 7 DAYS BEFORE YOUR SCHEDULED COURT APPEARANCE, OR IMMEDIATELY UPON RECEIVING THIS NOTIFICATION IF THE TIME BEFORE THE SCHEDULED APPEARANCE IS LESS THAN 7 DAYS; IF YOUR ARE HEARING OR VOICE IMPAIRED, CALL 711.” *NOT-EXEMPT* |
