CASSOPOLIS — During the height of his involvement with meth-making in the Niles-Barron Lake area, Steve Snavely bragged that he enjoyed his reputation as a player in the drug world.

Testimony at trial at the Cass County Courthouse last week revealed the 31-year-old Snavely was also willing to endanger his neighbors, his wife and even his own children to maintain that title.

But on Wednesday, Nov. 10, a Cass County jury gave Snavely a new label: convicted meth maker.

Cass County Prosecutor Victor Fitz indicated that “children played at this address. They were imperiled by this toxic filth. The defendant justifiably faces severe consequences.”

In the fall of last year, a Michigan State Police drug investigation led them to an address near Barron Lake.

On Dec. 10, 2009, the South West Enforcement Team (SWET) swooped down on 2678 Huntly Drive, Howard Township with a search warrant.

Snavely was found at the property, along with his wife, their two kids and fellow meth offender Anthony Reid.

At the time of the raid Snavely’s children were 1 and 7 years old.

The drug team found Snavely’s meth business in operation.

Trial testimony by drug team members indicated that a gas generator for making methamphetamine was located in front of a shed on Snavely’s property.

The team discovered that it was still producing a potentially deadly gas.

A further search of the shed yielded methamphetamine and other components for methamphetamine production and use.

Reid was found by SWET officers to be in possession of meth on the night of the December raid. Reid has since been convicted of that crime.

Assistant Prosecutor Diab Rizk, who presented the case for the people, elicited testimony from SWET detectives that after finding these hazardous substances, they confronted Snavely.

The defendant admitted to renting his shed to a man he would identify only as “Billy” for meth manufacturing.

Snavely told detectives that “Billy” paid him repeatedly during their approximately 10-day “meth cook” in early December 2009.

“Cooking meth” is the term commonly used for the dangerous chemical process through which backyard meth offenders make the substance. In recent years this procedure has produced several explosions in southwest Michigan, resulting in serious injuries. Fumes from the process have also hospitalized people, including a deputy from the Cass County Sheriff’s Office.

Snavely admitted to SWET officials he was also using the drug.

At trial Snavely produced fellow meth associate Anthony Reid to testify on his behalf.

Reid admitted in his testimony that he was a meth user and that he had teamed up on the property with “Billy” to smoke methamphetamine.

Testimony also showed that Snavely had children living at his Huntly Drive home during the days when the meth cook occurred.

This prompted an immediate investigation by the Cass County Department of Human Services (DHS).

The jury heard that during the DHS inquiry Snavely again admitted to renting his house for meth manufacturing.

Snavely bragged to the DHS worker that he liked the attention he received from the community regarding his association with drug dealing.

The jury deliberated approximately three hours before convicting Snavely of the 20-year and-or $25,000 felony of maintaining a methamphetamine laboratory and the 10-year and-or $15,000 felony of possession of methamphetamine.

The jury also found the defendant not guilty of the two-year offense of maintaining a drug house.

Rizk praised SWET and DHS for their hard work and diligence in pursuit of their respective responsibilities.

Circuit Judge Michael E. Dodge presided over the trial and set sentencing for Dec. 10 at 8:30 am.