Police Raid Meth Lab in Gloucester Township

Two people have been charged following a house police say was being used as a meth lab, Gloucester Township Police said on Wednesday.

Scott McLernon, 41, and Melanie Boyd, 36, both of the Hilltop section of the township, were arrested following an 11-month investigation of a home on the unit block of Brewer Avenue.

At the time of the raid, there were two small children, ages 9 and 3 in the house.

The children were turned over to a Detective from the Gloucester Township Police Juvenile Family Services Unit to offer counseling services to the mother and small children.

They were then turned over to a relative. New Jersey Division of Child Protection and Permanency were also notified.

McLernon was charged with first-degree maintaining or operating a controlled dangerous substance production facility, third-degree distribution of a controlled dangerous substance, third-degree possession of a controlled dangerous substance, and second-degree endangering the welfare of a child.

McLernon’s bail was set at $350,000 full cash. He was remanded to the Camden County Correctional Facility in default of bail.

Melanie Boyd was charged with second-degree endangering the welfare of a child. Boyd’s bail was set at $75,000 full cash. She was remanded to the Camden County Correctional Facility in default of bail.

“The production of methamphetamine in a residence with children present could have led to a very dangerous situation,”Carl J. Kotowski, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Jersey Division said. “Luckily, the children were safely removed from the home and Mr. McLernon and Ms. Boyd are now in custody.”

McLernon was the target of the investigation, conducted by officers from the Gloucester Township Police Department, U. S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Philadelphia/Camden High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA), Camden County Prosecutors Office Suburban Narcotics Task Force, Cherry Hill Police Department and the New Jersey State Police Interstate Theft Unit South.

The DEA Clandestine Laboratory Enforcement Team was used to execute an early morning search warrant at the home.

The investigation allegedly revealed a methamphetamine production laboratory was located in a detached garage of the residence.

The DEA Team removed all items, chemicals, components, and compounds used to produce methamphetamine from the home. The DEA Team stabilized the residence and surrounding property during the search.

A quantity of Methamphetamine and components from the laboratory dismantled by the DEA Team were recovered from the home and garage.

“The arrest of these individuals is another example of the continued criminal enforcement campaigns and law enforcement partnerships, targeting those who illegally distribute narcotics in Gloucester Township,” Gloucester Township Police Chief Harry Earle said. “The Gloucester Township Police Department will continue to attack the trafficking, abuse, and sale of illegal narcotics in our community.”

The attached images were provided by the Gloucester Township Police Department