HUTCHINSON, Kan — As expected, a 35-year-old Hutchinson man entered guilty pleas to being involved with the manufacturing methamphetamine back in 2012.
Matthew Foulk pleaded guilty to conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine, possession of lithium metal, anhydrous ammonia and ephedrine, all with intent to manufacture, possession of anhydrous ammonia in an unapproved container and possession of drug paraphernalia with intent to distribute. He also plead guilty to 4 of 9-counts of failing to register as a drug offender in a separate case.
The state agreed to concurrent sentencing within each case, but wants the sentences in each case to run consecutive to each other. Deputy District Attorney Tom Stanton says he will argue for prison time, while Defense Attorney Carl Maughn is expected to seek a departure from a prison sanction and seek community corrections.
The case against Foulk begins when the Reno County Sheriff Deputy had stopped Foulk for an expired tag in the 400 block of North Adams. During that stop, he allegedly threw out a blue bag from his car which allegedly contained a zip-lock bag of white pills, later identified as ephedrine. That led to the Reno County Drug Unit serving a search warrant on a home on North Herren Rd., and found another floor mat that matched the one in his vehicle. They also allegedly found peeled lithium batteries, Coleman fuel containers, empty starting fluid cans, acids, salts and numerous empty plastic containers and pitchers, a grunge substance and a propane tank which contained the ammonia.
Foulk has served time for a meth manufacturing case in Reno County in 2003 and 2004, and a flee and elude case in Harvey County in 1999.
Judge Trish Rose set sentencing in both cases for June 20.