Sullivan
Two Sullivan Residents Among Three Sentenced In Federal Meth Case
By
Apr 2, 2008, 19:53:00

Three people, including two Sullivan residents, were sentenced in U.S. District Court on Thursday, according to Attorney Catherine Hanaway and Franklin County Sheriff Gary Toelke.
Jason Blankenship, 32, Sullivan, was sentenced to 55 months in prison; Katrina M. Decker, 30, Sullivan, received 37 months; and Debra Yates, 46, Rolla, was sentenced to 53 months.
According to authorities, in February 2007, Yates called Decker to ask for a ride to Rolla to shop for pseudoephedrine pills that would be used to manufacture methamphetamine. Decker would receive four grams of finished meth for her participation in obtaining pseudoephedrine pills.
They purchased the pills at Wal-Mart stores in Rolla, Cuba, Owensville and Washington. After purchasing the pills, Yates and Decker met with Blankenship and went to his residence on Highway H in Sullivan.
As they were attempting to manufacture anhydrous ammonia, a propane tank exploded and the basement filled with a cloud of gas. Blankenship was critically injured in the explosion. Decker and Yates drove him to Missouri Baptist Hospital, Sullivan, and left him there.
When law enforcement officers arrived at Blankenship’s residence after the explosion, they smelled a chemical odor and observed that the door to the basement was damaged. It appeared to have been blown open with sufficient force to rip the deadbolt through the doorjamb.
The officers observed piles of debris in the basement where drywall had been blown from the walls and ceiling. A 20-pound propane gas cylinder was blown apart and shrapnel was strewn about the basement, as well as numerous items used in the manufacturing of meth.
Officers tracked down Yates at the home of a friend following the incident. She admitted that she had been at Blankenship’s and in the basement when the explosion occurred.
Yates was arrested and taken to Missouri Baptist Hospital, Sullivan. Her purse, jacket and two other bags were seized by officers. Located in her purse were two empty pseudoephedrine boxes, two small bags containing suspected meth residue, three syringes, $260 in cash, numerous receipts showing the purchases of meth precursors, and a notebook containing the list of precursors. A large number of pseudoephedrine pills were seized from her jacket.
A trained forensic chemist analyzed the pills seized from Yates’ jacket and found there to be a total of 948 tablets containing a total of 29.85 grams of actual pseudoephedrine.
The next morning, Decker learned that authorities were looking for her. She contacted the sheriff’s department and was arrested. Decker admitted her involvement in obtaining the pseudoephedrine pills, other meth ingredients and equipment, and her involvement in the attempted manufacturing and transportation of Blankenship to the hospital.
Attorney Hanaway commended the work on the case by the sheriff’s department and Assistant Attorney Antoinette Decker.

© Copyright 2001 by sullivannews.com