COLMAR — Two Bell County men were arrested on Monday after Kentucky State Police (KSP) authorities found them to be in possession of many of the components needed to manufacture methamphetamine.

Shane Allen Wilder, 26, of Calvin and Andrew Joshua Colt Epperson, 24, of Middlesboro were arrested and charged with manufacturing methamphetamine (both as a first offense).

KSP Trooper Tyson Lawson stated that on Monday he observed smoke rising from a suspicious vehicle parked alongside Highway 188 in the Colmar community, and decided to routinely check out the situation.

Upon further investigation, Trooper Lawson made contact with the vehicle’s occupants and established that both men were in possession of several of the components needed to unlawfully manufacture methamphetamine.

Lawson stated the illegal components — including coffee filters, ether, drain cleaner, lye, engine starter fluid, various funnels and hoses, propane tanks and a Pyrex dish — were found in a military rucksack outside of the vehicle, and were later destroyed by KSP authorities.

There was no actual operative lab in the surrounding wooded area, he added.

Officer Lawson also located a stolen handgun while searching the vehicle. The serial number from the gun was entered into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC), and the firearm had been previously reported stolen from the Lafollette, Tenn., area.

Both men were charged with receiving stolen property (firearm).

Additionally, Wilder was charged with possession of a handgun by a convicted felon and tampering with physical evidence. The tampering charge occurred when Wilder tried to dispose of the Sudafed pills in his pockets and vehicle, said Lawson.

At the time of his apprehension, Andrew Joshua Colt Epperson was out on bond for a drug-related arrest made in late April — according to public records.

Epperson was recently indicted by the Bell County Circuit Court for first degree possession of a controlled substance (first offense), possession of drug paraphernalia (first offense), and manufacturing methamphetamine (first offense) in association with that arrest.

Both men are currently being held in the Bell County Detention Center, and will appear in court on Tuesday, July 13th for a preliminary hearing.

Their bonds have been set at $250,000 (cash) a piece.

An arrest is an accusation only. Individuals arrested are considered to be innocent, unless proven guilty in a court of law.

Adam Young is a Staff Writer for the Middlesboro Daily News. He can be contacted by e-mail at ayoung@heartlandpublications.com.