(Stillwater, Okla.) — A 42-year-old man from Drumright was ordered today to stand trial on a charge of endeavoring to manufacture methamphetamine at his girlfriend’s residence in Cushing.
Charles Vance Shipman, 42, whose preliminary hearing was held this morning, remains in the Payne County Jail on $7,500 bail pending his trial court arraignment on April 4.
His girlfriend, La Verna Lee Christians, 43, posted $7,500 bail one week after their arrest and remains free pending a May 5 court appearance when she can ask for a preliminary hearing on the same charge.
Payne County Sheriff’s Deputy Brandon Myers wrote in an affidavit that two days after Christmas at about 8:15 a.m., he and a team of deputies served a search warrant at Christians’ residence at 910 E. Walnut Street in Cushing.
Christians opened the door and the only other person in the house was Shipman in the living room, the affidavit alleged.
Outside in a toilet, the deputies found a yellow bag contained a peeled lithium battery and two used 12-hour pseudoephedrine blister packs, the affidavit alleged.
Also found was a camouflage backpack containing items used in the manufacturing of methamphetamine, the affidavit alleged.
In the house, drug paraphernalia was located, the affidavit alleged.
“In the nightstand next to the bed was a piece of mail in the name of Laverna Christians and a purple notebook that was a drug ledger for prescription pills,” the affidavit alleged.
“In the northeast bedroom in the closet, I located an opened syringes bag containing eight syringes,” Myers wrote in his affidavit.
“In the dining room trash can, I located a used syringe and small snort straw,” the deputy alleged in his affidavit.
“Charles denied all items. He did admit that he and Laverna are boyfriend and girlfriend and share the southeast bedroom,” the affidavit alleged.
“He advised there are several people that come and go out of the backyard, yet there is a pipe that is across the gate and it can only be opened from the inside — and the gate has not been opened for some time,” the affidavit alleged.
If convicted of the felony, endeavoring to manufacture methamphetamine, Shipman and Christians could each be given a prison sentence ranging from seven years to 20 years and a fine from $50,000 to $100,000, court records show.
If convicted of an additional misdemeanor count of possessing drug paraphernalia, each could be given an additional $1,000 fine and a one-year jail term.
