By KATIE JOHNSON

Dowagiac Daily News

CASSOPOLIS — A Cassopolis man who dumped methamphetamine manufacturing waste in three sites along Pokagon Highway was sentenced in Cass County Circuit Court July 16.

Theodore Owen, 37, of 58110 M-62, was sentenced by Circuit Judge Michael Dodge to three to 20 years in prison for operating/maintaining a lab involving hazardous waste and 60 days in jail with 60 days served for possessing meth.

Detectives from the Cass County Drug Enforcement Team found meth components — including one-pot labs, broken lithium batteries, lye and coffee filters — along Pokagon Highway on April 19.

An Elkhart, Ind., Walgreens receipt for Sudafed tablets led officers to Owen, who provided the pills to a meth manufacturer in Indiana.

Owen, who has a prior meth conviction from 2008, agreed to dispose of the waste.

Owen had been sentenced to probation for the first meth offense, Prosecutor Victor Fitz said, but “chose again to associate with meth offenders.”

“I know what I did was wrong,” Owen said. “I’m sorry that I embarrassed my family, and most of all my son.”