ANDERSON, Ind. —
A trial for a man accused of maintaining a methamphetamine lab in his Alexandria residence began Wednesday.
David L. Hedgecraft, 46, was arrested April 17 and faces an array of meth-related charges for his alleged involvement in what appears to be a family habit.
On the day of the arrest, police received a tip that Hedgecraft and his son David L. Hedgecraft, Jr., were cooking meth in their garage in the 200 block of East County Road 1100 North, Alexandria. Drug Task Force officers arrived and allegedly found plastic bottles containing meth sludge, cans of fuel, ammonium and stripped batteries, according to a probable cause affidavit of the incident. All are common ingredients in homemade meth cooking.
Hedgecraft Jr., and William Hedgecraft, the family’s two sons, are already in jail for meth-related convictions.
Wednesday’s trial featured testimony from Hedgecraft’s wife, Amy; Hedgecraft, Jr.; and a Drug Task Force officer who helped dismantle the lab at the time of the incident.
A moment of contention came when Amy Hedgecraft was on the stand describing the security of the family’s garage where the cooking allegedly happened.
Deputy Prosecutor Steve Koester told Hedgecraft her testimony was inconsistent with previous interviews and statements and accused her of “hatching a lie” with her husband.
“I would simply say that the story the family told us last week in our office is different than what they told us today,” Koester said after the jury was dismissed. “I’ll leave it at that and I’ll let the jury sort out any discrepancies in their testimony.”
Hedgecraft, Jr., clad in prison stripes and handcuffs, described how he learned to produce meth from his brother and his father. He told the jury the family often had necessary chemicals on hand to cook meth and admitted to going to the store to buy pseudoephedrine, a key ingredient in meth, with his father.
“I think (Hedgecraft, Jr.,) just corroborated what we already know. He and his dad were both making meth in that garage,” Koester said.
Scott Webb, Hedgecraft’s attorney, questioned Hedgecraft, Jr.’s testimony, and worked to establish how Hedgecraft, Jr. would benefit in his plea agreement by testifying against his father.
“My client’s position is the chemical materials were found at scene were waste, and he was not the one cooking the meth,” Webb said. “There are two sons, both convicted of meth charges. (Hedgecraft) didn’t knowingly have possession of the materials found. And, as we established with the wife, the property is not secure.”
Webb said it’s undetermined whether Hedgecraft will testify during the trial.
Find Jack Molitor on Facebook and @AggieJack4 on Twitter, or call 640-4883.
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