BUSTED: Illinois Student Operating Meth Lab On College Campus

At Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, a former student is facing charges for operating a meth lab on the college campus.

This sounds like an episode of Breaking Bad, but it actually played out in real life.  The real life Walter White, could you please stand up?

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An SIUE professor noticed suspicious activity in the Science West building and police investigated. After Spectrometer testing, they discovered what appeared to be byproducts of meth-making.

What is a spectrometer test?

"spectrometry is a method of studying and measuring a specific spectrum, and it's widely used for the spectroscopic analysis of sample materials." [atascientific]

 

Read More: Find Out If You Live Super Close To A Meth Lab In Illinois 

It's kinda crazy how the arrest was made, though.

A statement said,

“SIUE Police confirmed that the only person to make electronic access to the Science West Building between 11/22/23 and 11/27/23, and had a key to room 3000 (besides the reporting professor) was Jeremy Smalling.” [MyStateline]

After having probable cause, a judge signed off on a search warrant and police were granted permission to put a GPS tracker on Jeremy’s car at his apartment building.

SIUE police even brought in the regional drug task force.

Investigators started monitoring his meth lab purchases at Walmart and Walgreens locations around Illinois.

Read More: Illinois Man is Severely Burned After His Meth Lab Explodes 

On January 10th, police saw Jeremy carry the materials into his apartment and his bedroom window was open even though it was 36 degrees outside.

"Smalling, 45, was a graduate research assistant at the time. He’s listed as winning the 2018 award for physical chemistry at the university." [WGN]

Investigators found that Jeremy attempted 365 pseudoephedrine purchases over the last 10 years and had been blocked from 45 different purchases.  According to Illinois law, purchases are flagged that exceed a 30-day supply in a one-month period.

Working alone or not, it is crazy to think someone is actually running a meth lab basically in plain sight. All of Jeremy’s roommates were relocated from their apartment complex as the investigation continued.