An Ogdensburg woman and a Heuvelton man were charged with meth-making Wednesday and now they don’t have a place to live.
Ogdensburg police say they responded to a domestic call at 1308 Ford Street in Ogdensburg and found what they say was an active meth lab inside the home.
Two people inside the home, 40-year-old Carol Phillips and 33-year-old Joshua Hanna, were each charged with third-degree unlawful manufacture of methamphetamine.
Officials condemned the home Thursday morning in what they say is a new policy to curb meth manufacturing in the city.
City manager Stephen Jellie said the city is turning up the heat on the city’s meth problem, and now any home with an active meth lab will be condemned.
“Ogdensburg is no longer a safe haven for drug dealers and drug manufacturers,” said Jellie.
Nick’s Wines and Liquors is right next door to the condemned house. The manager declined to speak on camera, but told us that she knew for a long time what was happening there, and is relieved the city took action.
The property’s landlord says he’s owned the house for six weeks, and inherited the tenants, and had no idea what was going on inside.
“I just took the place over, I don’t want drugs on the property,” said Larry Wood, the landlord. “So, they’re out.”
Wood says he’ll fix up the house and get tenants back. Mayor Mike Skelly says this could be an example where the city’s new policy will help clean up the streets.
“It’s such a detriment on a community. Such a detriment to individuals living next to it. Something has to be tried,” Skelly said.
Jellie said the city is also putting landlords on notice, and added that having no knowledge of what’s going on inside their properties is not an excuse.
“While one of your tenants may be the perpetrator of a crime, or doing something wrong in here, again it’s your responsibility to make sure that you’re taking care of the property,” Jellie said.
In a statement, city manager Steven Jellie said, “the city will now condemn any structure or dwelling that is determined to have been used as a meth lab until full engineering, health, and safety assessments are complete and a certificate of occupancy re-issued by Code Enforcement.”
In a statement, Jellie said, “I hope we send a strong message to drug dealers and those that think creating meth labs in our city is a good idea, that your days are over here and I intend to put every landlord that owns a house like this on notice. If you harbor, help, assist, or ignore this, you’re not welcome in our city, either.”
Jellie says that “innocent” occupants displaced by these actions will be provided assistance in finding adequate housing and social services support.
Phillips and Hanna were arraigned in Ogdensburg city court and released on their own recognizance.
Ogdensburg Police were assisted at the scene by the state police Contaminated Crime Scene Emergency Response Team and the Ogdensburg Fire Department.
Tags: Arrests Community Efforts Drug Trafficking Meth Meth Lab Safety Alert
