Galesburg police officers arrested a man in the early hours of Saturday on several meth related charges.
Around 12:30 officers pulled up behind tan 2002 Chevrolet with expired registration, when the driver of the vehicle abruptly exited the vehicle in the driveway of a residence in the 500 block of N Seminary Street.
According to reports, officers approached the man – later identified as 33-year-old Steven Strickland of Galesburg – when they noticed a discarded black and yellow pouch within arms reach of him.
Officers would search the pouch, allegedly finding hypodermic syringes, and metal spoons, along with suspected methamphetamine.
Strickland was detained by police, and the vehicle was searched. Upon approaching the vehicle, officers detected a chemical smell and found what was believed to be the makings of a mobile meth lab inside a backpack.
Strickland allegedly admitted the black and yellow pouch and it’s contents were his, but claimed the backpack was not. The car was not registered to Strickland.
Illinois State Police would seize the backpack, and the details of the contents were given to GPD. Those contents included camp fuel, drain cleaner, sodium hydroxide, liquid lightning, and a Mountain Dew bottle containing salt and sulfuric acid – among other things.
He was booked at the Knox County Jail and faces several felonies in conjunction with the findings. The most serious of his charges is a Class 1 Felony of Meth Participation in Production under 15 grams – which could get him between 4 and 15 years in prison.
He also faces a Class 2 felony of Possession of Meth Manufacturing Materials, and a Class 3 Felony of Meth Possession under 5 grams.
Along side that he received misdemeanor charges of possession of drug paraphernalia and driving on no valid license.
Additionally he had a Failure to Appear warrant in Knox County for a 2017 Burglary charge.
