BROTHERS ARRESTED FOR MAKING METH

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Two brothers and a woman arrested for manufacturing methamphetamine had a police search warrant from a previous methamphetamine arrest in their motel room as Perry County deputies took them into custody, Sheriff Gary Schaaf said.

The investigation started when a report of someone stealing anhydrous ammonia was made to the sheriff's office on Jan. 19. Deputies located one man stealing the fertilizer, an ingredient in methamphetamine, on Route M near railroad tracks.

A second man was located by a state conservation agent who found what he thought was a poacher driving nearby without headlights. After a short car chase, the second man was caught.

The second man had been acting as a lookout for the first, who is his brother, Schaaf said.

In the two mens' trucks, deputies found a box of tools used to gain access to tanks and six tanks able to hold 244 pounds of anhydrous ammonia.

"These two really planned to steal a lot," Schaaf said.

Arrested were: Brian L. Ottinger, 37, of Bonne Terre, Mo.; Robert D. Ottinger II, 42, of Pevely, Mo.; and Amanda Lavone Overby, 36, of Bonne Terre.

Overby was discovered after deputies found out that the brothers were staying at a motel near Highway 51 and Interstate 55. A meth lab was found in the motel room.

Brian Ottinger was charged with two meth-related felonies and a misdemeanor of trespassing. His brother faces four methamphetamine felony charges and several traffic violations related to the chase. Overby has one meth felony charge.

Within 48 hours, all three had been released on $5,000 bonds, Schaaf said.

Their release is frustrating, the sheriff said. He alleged the chances of the suspects attempting to steal anhydrous ammonia for methamphetamine again are high.

Schaaf suspected they were making plans to steal more anhydrous ammonia even before they were released.

"While they were in jail they were asking another inmate for directions to other anhydrous tanks," Schaaf said. "But they had some car problems, so as far as we know they never made it."