Rise in Meth Cases Reported, According to Source

Lee Yelin works for Water Rights Inc. He cleans properties contaminated by meth. He says meth cases are increasing in Montana.

"Back in 2005 when the program began, I would clean up one to two houses a year and test maybe one to two," said Yelin. "Now it's as many as I can fit in. I have a waiting list of nine properties that need to be cleaned."

NBC Montana reports Yellin says a lot of the drugs are coming from out of state, because he typically doesn't see huge lab productions here in the state.

In a recent case, court documents say Lester Oxendine traveled to Las Vegas to purchase a large quantity of methamphetamine. Police say he sold $640,000 of it in Butte.

Court records say officers found four ounces in Oxendine’s vehicle and another four in his home. Prosecutors charged him with one count of criminal distribution of dangerous drugs.

In another case, a grand jury indicted a couple from Hungry Horse for distributing large amounts of meth. A search warrant claims they moved to the Flathead from Spokane because Washington law enforcement was watching them.

That warrant says they were questioned in a murder and quotes a confidential informant as saying the two got their meth from a Mexican cartel.

Yelin says if anyone purchases a home they should test the property. He says with drug transport from state to state, the problem will only get bigger.