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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Target shooting sparks fire at Jackson County Sports Park ... Even low temperatures are breaking heat records in Southern Oregon ... Our View: Sizzling heat, blazing fireworks coincide this year ... Target shooting sparks fire at Jackson County Sports Park ... Even low temperatures are breaking heat records in Southern Oregon ... Our View: Sizzling heat, blazing fireworks coincide this year ... CRIME MADGE busts alleged meth lab Comment By Thomas Moriarty Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Thomas Moriarty Mail Tribune Posted Nov. 19, 2014 at 2:00 AM Updated Nov 20, 2014 at 1:35 PM By Thomas Moriarty Mail Tribune Posted Nov. 19, 2014 at 2:00 AM Updated Nov 20, 2014 at 1:35 PM » RELATED CONTENT • Father and son arrested during meth lab bust » Social News Detectives from the Medford Area Drug and Gang Enforcement team said they discovered an active, clandestine methamphetamine lab Wednesday when they served a search warrant at a south Medford home. Sgt. Ben Lytle said the lab, inside a home in the 1000 block of South Holly Street, used "common household chemicals" and was the first active meth lab local police have dealt with in some time. The resident, 54-year-old Stephen Robert Lyon, was arrested on charges of manufacturing and possessing methamphetamine. He is being held in the Jackson County Jail on $30,000 bail. Lyon has multiple previous convictions in Jackson County for possession of controlled substances, according to court records. After discovering the alleged lab, MADGE detectives called in a team from the Oregon State Police Drug Enforcement Section to help process the toxic evidence. Sgt. Walt Markee, who heads OSP's Clan Lab Response Team, said the unit is called out to roughly one lab a month, but that the number of methamphetamine labs has dropped dramatically since the Legislature restricted sales of psuedoephedrine — a key precursor chemical for common production methods. The last local lab seizure of note happened in 2012, when a probation officer and sheriff's deputy discovered glassware and methamphetamine sludge in the Central Point trailer of an offender on supervision. Markee added that his team had also in recent years encountered a lab that used phenyl-2-propanone, or P2P, an older method favored by outlaw biker gangs and popularized by the TV show "Breaking Bad." As of 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, a DEQ-certified cleanup team, wearing gas masks and white plastic suits, was still on scene, taking pH samples from lab materials corralled behind crime scene tape under a bank of floodlights. While many narcotics detectives are certified to handle clandestine labs, Markee said, the drop in meth lab seizures means most agencies no longer keep the necessary protective gear on hand, requiring them to call the state for assistance. Lytle said he expected MADGE would release more information about the investigation Thursday. Reach reporter Thomas Moriarty at 541-776-4471, or by email at [email protected] . Follow him at @ThomasDMoriarty . By Thomas Moriarty Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Thomas Moriarty Mail Tribune Posted Nov. 19, 2014 at 2:00 AM Updated Nov 20, 2014 at 1:35 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501