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BERWICK — Police said two men were charged with making methamphetamine at a residence on East 13th Street.
Jeremy Kulp, 30, of Municipal Road, Berwick, and Jack DeFranco, 50, no known address, were arraigned Friday night on charges of possession with intent to manufacture a controlled substance, criminal conspiracy – engaging in manufacturing methamphetamine, possession of precursor chemicals with intent to manufacture a controlled substance, risking a catastrophe and possession of a controlled substance.
Police said two other people, who were detained as part of the investigation, were lodged at the Columbia County Prison on probation detainers.
According to police, Kulp’s cousin, Shane Kulp, told them that methamphetamine was made at his residence on East 13th Street as recently as Thursday night and provided a signed statement with details of the operation. He said Jeremy Kulp and DeFranco made methamphetamine and would either use it or sell it.
Police apprehended Jeremy Kulp at the East 13th Street address where they also found DeFranco and two other people. All four people taken into custody and taken to the police department. Another participant in the operation, Dustin Fulkersin, who also provided a signed statement, said he saw Jeremy Kulp and DeFranco make methamphetamine on two occasions.
Fulkersin said he drove DeFranco to a Walmart store in Buckhorn to purchase boxes of psuedoephedrine and was paid in either cash or gasoline. Fulkersin said DeFranco crushed the pills to make methamphetamine. He also said he drove DeFranco to dumpsters at Weis and Giant supermarkets to dispose of the waste produced in the manufacturing process.
The state police Clandestine Laboratory Emergency Response Team collected and analyzed materials used to make methamphetamine at the residence.
The Columbia County Adult Probation and the Briar Creek Township Police Department assisted in the investigation.