Mobile Meth Lab Stop Leads to Two Arrests

Two men were arrested and charged with manufacturing methamphetamine this week after Mansfield police stopped the 2000 GMC Jimmy Wagon one of them was driving and discovered drugs were being produced inside, authorities said.

Charles Wilcox, 46, of Hackettstown, the registered owner of the vehicle, was arrested on Wednesday after Daniel McCart, 27, of Haskell, was stopped in the vehicle and arrested on Tuesday. Both may have been residing at a Glen Gardner address as well, according to Warren County Prosecutor Richard Burke. 

Each were charged with one count of first-degree maintaining a controlled dangerous substance manufacturing facility and one count of third-degree manufacturing methamphetamine, in addition to other drug charges. The vehicle was impounded at the Washington Collision Center in Washington Borough as state police and detectives from the Mansfield and  Washington Borough Police Departments and Warren County Prosecutor's Office and HAZMAT teams investigated.

McCart was stopped by Mansfield police in the Mansfield Commons parking lot Tuesday and was arrested on previous warrants out of Passaic County, Burke said in a press release. Law enforcement officials found that methamphetamine, and items used to manufacture methamphetamine, were inside the vehicle he was driving, Burke said. Wilcox was arrested the following day.

If convicted, each could face a maximum penalty of 20 years in state prison on the first-degree charge and an additional five years in prison on the third-degree charge. Additionally, each could be forced to pay more than $800,000 in fines.

McCart was sent to the Passaic County Correctional Facility in lieu of $200,000 bail without a 10 percent option. Wilcox was sent to the Warren County Correctional Facility in lieu of $200,000 bail with no 10 percent option.

For questions on this report, email ariana.cohn-sheehan@patch.com.