Today Pierce County Prosecutor Mark Lindquist charged Jesus Villagomez-Ledezma, 30, with unlawful manufacturing of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, and unlawful possession of a firearm while not being a citizen of the United States. Villagomez-Ledezma was running a clandestine drug lab in his Bonney Lake and Sumner residences, converting liquid methamphetamine into crystal meth. His girlfriend, Rosa Cuevas-Valencia, 38, has been charged with unlawful manufacturing of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver. They were arraigned today and pleaded not guilty. Villagomez-Ledezma is being held in lieu of $600,000 bail, and Cuevas-Valencia’s bail was set at $100,000.

“In recent years we’ve succeeded in nearly eliminating methamphetamine manufacturing labs from Pierce County,” said Prosecutor Mark Lindquist. “These conversion labs pose a new threat we are aggressively prosecuting, just as we did the manufacturing labs.”

On July 8, 2014, the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department’s Special Investigations Unit and Clandestine Lab Team served search warrants at two of Villagomez-Ledezma’s residences. In the Bonney Lake home, they discovered evidence of a conversion lab scattered throughout the house and backyard. The house contained numerous coolers, which are used to avoid detection while smuggling liquid meth across the Mexican border. Detectives located multiple pounds of meth, four guns, and several ledgers used to keep track of drug transactions. The refrigerator, oven and eating areas were contaminated with items covered in meth residue.

An 8-year-old and a 12- year-old, who were living in the residences, were placed into protective custody.

Charges are only allegations and a person is presumed innocent unless he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

A more in depth article will appear in the Courier-Herald next week.