MEIGS COUNTY — The methamphetamine epidemic is becoming increasingly present in Meigs County, as is the case in much of the Ohio Valley region.

Meigs County Sheriff’s Deputies and the Meigs County Drug Task Force responded to 21 meth labs in 2012 according to reports from the Sheriff’s Office.

In 2012, a total 17 individuals were arraigned on charges related to the manufacture or possession of methamphetamine in 22 cases in Meigs County Common Pleas Court.

Six individuals, involved in eight cases have entered guilty pleas to the charges filed against them in 2012, while cases remain open against the other 11 defendants.

The most recent cases involve Stacy L. Williamson, Ralph David Thurman Jay Day, Jr., Raymond Sayre, Matthew A. Athey and Julee G. Athey.

Sayre, 40, of Racine was arraigned on six felony counts in connected to a meth lab found at his residence earlier in the fall. He was charged with illegal manufacture of methamphetamine, a felony of the first degree; illegal assembly or possession of chemicals for manufacture off methamphetamine, a felony of the second degree; and four counts of endangering children, third degree felonies.

Matthew A. Athey, 34, of Pomeroy, and Julee G. Athey, 36, of Pomeroy, were each charged with illegal manufacture of methamphetamine, a felony of the first degree; illegal assembly or possession of chemicals for manufacture off methamphetamine, a felony of the second degree; and three counts of endangering children, third degree felonies.

Pretrial hearings for Matthew Athey, Julle Athey and Sayre are scheduled for February.

Williamson, 32, of Rutland, was charged with aggravated possession of methamphetamine, a felony of the first degree. Williamson was previously charged in a different case with illegal manufacture of drugs, a felony of the first degree; illegal cultivation of marijuana, a felony of the third degree; and endangering children, a felony of the third degree.

Williamson is scheduled for a pretrial hearing on Jan. 4, with a jury trial scheduled for Jan. 10.

Day, 35, of Rutland, was charged with aggravated possession of methamphetamine, a felony of the first degree. Williamson was previously charged in a different case with illegal manufacture of drugs, a felony of the first degree; illegal cultivation of marijuana, a felony of the third degree; and endangering children, a felony of the third degree.

Day is scheduled for a pretrial hearing on Jan. 4, with a jury trial scheduled for Jan. 10.

Other ongoing cases involve Cynthia M. Casteel, Tina L. Rayburn, David B. Dillard, Emily Dillard and Mark A. Fooce.

Casteel and Rayburn are each charged with illegal manufacture of drugs, a felony of the first degree; illegal assembly or possession of chemicals, a felony of the first degree; endangering children, a felony of the third degree; and illegal assembly or possession of chemicals for the manufacture of drugs, a felony of the third degree. Casteel is to appear for a pretrial on Jan. 23 and Rayburn is to appear on Jan. 28.

Emily Dillard and David Dillard are both charged in connection with a methamphetamine lab located at their residence on Ohio 143 early in the fall. Both face charges of illegal manufacture of drugs, a felony of the first degree; illegal cultivation of marijuana, a felony of the third degree; and endangering children, a felony of the third degree.

Emily Dillard is scheduled for a trial in Meigs County Common Pleas Court on Jan. 22, while David Dilalrd is scheduled for a pretrial hearing on Feb. 20.

Fooce is charged with one count of illegal manufacture of drugs, a aggravated felony of the second degree.He is scheduled for a pretrial hearing on Jan. 23.

Six people were sentenced in 2012 following guilty pleas on methamphetamine charges.

Kodi Murphy, 24, of Long Bottom, entered a guilty plea to one count of illegal assembly or possession of chemicals for the manufacture of drugs, a felony of the third degree. Murphy was sentenced to 24 months of community control.

Michael Bing, 31, of Pomeroy, plead guilty to illegal manufacture of drugs, a felony of the second degree. He was sentenced to four years in prison.

Tara R. Adkins, 29, plead guilty to charges in two separate cases. Adkins entered guilty pleas to one count illegal assembly of drugs, a felony of the third degree; two counts of aggravated possession of drugs, a felony of the fifth degree; and one count of illegal manufacture of methamphetamine. Adkins was sentenced to 54 months in prison.

Ricky D. Adkins, 33, plead guilty to illegal manufacture of drugs, a felony of the second degree; two counts of aggravated possession of drugs, felonies of the fifth degree; and illegal manufacture of methamphetamine, a felony of the second degree. Adkins was sentenced to six years in prison.

Donald P. Carnahan, 31, and Leann Dill, 30, both entered guilty pleas in connection with a meth lab discovered at Meigs Motel on June 14.

Carnahan plead guilty to two counts illegal assembly or possession of chemicals for the manufacture of methamphetamine, felonies of the third degree. He was sentenced to two years in prison on each count to be served concurrent.

Dill entered a guilty plea to illegal assembly or possession of chemicals for manufacture of methamphetamine, a felony of the second degree, and child endangering, a felony of the third degree. She was sentenced to 96 months with all time suspended and five years of community control.