More than $74,000 dollars worth of methamphetamine was taken off the streets on June 24 by the Clinton County Sheriff’s Department.

Sheriff Jim Guffey said there was more than a pound of uncut meth seized.

“I’d received a tip about a large drug shipment that came into Clinton County and a location on where it was at,” Guffey said.

With the warrant in hand, Guffey, along with deputies David Bookout and Rodney Shelton, went to the residence of Johnny L. Burchett, 9162 Highway 558 in Clinton County.

Guffey said after talking with Burchett, he was given consent to search the property.

“When we went to this guy’s bedroom we immediately saw drug paraphernalia laying around. We then marandized him and placed him under arrest,” Guffey said.

Burchett was charged with possession of a controlled substance, first degree, third offense for meth, trafficking in a controlled substance, first degree, first offense, possession of drug paraphernalia in the first degree, failure to notify address change to the department of transportation and was served with a warrant from Indiana.

“I walked around to the foot of the bed and that’s where the meth was,” Guffey said. “It was 1.01 pounds. When I talked to the drug enforcement agency who has it now, it equates out to $74,000 worth.”

Guffey said the case has been turned over to the DEA and it took control of the meth.

“It was pure meth … uncut ice that came in from Mexico,” Guffey said. “It cost $7.38 to mail it here from Arizona.”

Guffey said the field test done of the meth turned blue immediately when the activator was applied.

According to Guffey, however, there has been a decrease in meth labs in the county.

“It’s cheaper to ship it in and a lot less risky … it’s better quality,” Guffey said. “Usually we have to shake the package up when the chemical is applied, but this instantly turned blue. By that we knew it was 100 percent pure. We are used to getting small quantiles, less than a gram maybe, but never a pound. I’m just glad we got it before it hit the streets.”

Guffey said the investigation is still ongoing and his office is working with the DEA on this case.

“They are working in the area where it came from,” Guffey said. “It’s not just Clinton County … it’s nationwide. The DEA will present the case to the grand jury for indictment. That was such a large quantity of it I turned it over as quick as I could. I was afraid someone would break into the courthouse and get it back.”

Burchett is currently lodged in the Clinton County Jail on $100,000 bond or twice the amount on property.

Clinton County Sheriff Jim Guffey with just over one pound of crystal meth estimated to have a street value of over $74,000.