Man Allegedly Used Church Playroom as a Meth Lab

A man is facing charges after allegedly turning a Buxton church's playroom into a meth lab.

Buxton Police say Matthew Anderson, 33, was arrested after they received a complaint  on December 5th about an unusual smell in the Buxton United Methodist Church on Chicopee Road. An investigation turned up items consistent with the manufacture of methamphetamine that were located in a children's playroom at the church. Members from the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency responded to safely remove the items and decontaminate the area. Officials say the operation was very dangerous, between the potential of an explosion and the exposure of children to the toxic chemicals, fumes, and residue left behind by the one-pot manufacturing process.

Anderson was located at a nearby residence and was arrested on an outstanding warrant for allegedly operating a meth lab in Standish last August. After interviewing Anderson, police charged him with unlawful operation of a meth lab. His bail was set at $50,000, with conditions, and was taken to the York County Jail.

MDEA officials say, in the Standish incident, the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office responded to a burned vehicle off the Milt Brown Road power line on August 1st. An investigation revealed the fire was the result of meth manufacturing.