(Stillwater, Okla.) — A Drumright man avoided a jury trial this week on a charge of endeavoring to manufacture methamphetamine at his girlfriend’s residence in Cushing by pleading guilty to a single count of possessing drug paraphernalia.
As part of a plea bargain, prosecutor Karen Dixon dismissed the felony methamphetamine charge Friday and Charles Vance Shipman, 43, admitted only to possessing drug paraphernalia, for which he was given a one-year jail term.
Shipman and La Verna Lee Christians, 44, were arrested two days after Christmas when Payne County Sheriff’s Deputy Brandon Myers and a team of deputies served a search warrant at Christians’ residence in the 900 block of E. Walnut Street in Cushing, court records show.
Christians, who remains free on bail pending an Oct. 24 pre-trial hearing, opened the door and the only other person in the house was Shipman in the living room, Myers alleged in an affidavit.
Outside in a toilet, the deputies found a yellow bag containing a peeled lithium battery and two used 12-hour pseudoephedrine blister packs, the affidavit alleged.
Also found was a camouflage backpack containing items used the the manufacturing of methamphetamine, the affidavit alleged.
Drug paraphernalia was located in the house, 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 alleged 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 back yard, 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.
Endeavoring to manufacture methamphetamine, a felony charge which remains pending against Christians, carries a penalty of seven years to 20 years in prison and a fine from $50,000 to $100,000 on conviction, court records show.
Possessing drug parahernalia, a misdemeanor count, which also remains pending against Christians, carries a maximum penalty of a one-year jail term and a $1,000 fine, court records show.
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