Troopers bust methamphetamine lab in Palmer

PALMER — Alaska State Troopers arrested two people Sunday, charging them with cooking methamphetamines and probation violations.

According to an AST press statement, the home in Palmer — the release doesn’t get more specific — was searched after patrol troopers noticed signs of a lab. Those troopers called in the Statewide Drug Enforcement Unit, which in turn obtained a warrant to search the home.

“Through the investigation, two suspects were located and arrested,” troopers report.

Those two people were Carleigh Kaye Fox, 24, of Palmer and Derek Lyle Smith, 38, of Palmer.

“Both subjects were on conditions of release from prior crimes,” troopers report, explaining why in addition to the drug crimes both were charged with violating release conditions.

Fox and Smith were jailed at the Mat-Su Pre-Trial Facility without bail conditions set.

As of Monday afternoon, jail records showed both were still incarcerated at Mat-Su Pretrial Facility.

Court records show that Fox has an open theft case and an open drug case, both filed earlier this year.

Smith, meanwhile, has an open misdemeanor theft and trespassing in a vehicle case, also from earlier this year.

Contact Andrew Wellner at 352-2270 or

andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com.