Warren County sheriff’s deputies leave a methamphetamine lab on Grange Hall Road Wednesday after inspecting it to make sure it was safe to proceed searching the trailer. The deputies wore protective breathing gear because of the toxic chemicals used in producing methamphetamine.(Jon Giffin The Vicksburg Post)

[3/11/04]A crystal methamphetamine lab protected by electronic motion detectors and surveillance equipment had authorities searching overnight and this morning across Warren County for a Vicksburg man.

“This is one of the largest meth labs that we’ve dealt with,” said Warren County Sheriff Martin Pace after deputies uncovered the makeshift, high-tech lab on Grange Hall Road Wednesday. “This lab had all of the elements of a bad situation.

“We uncovered hazardous chemicals that, when released, can be toxic, and a heavily armed suspect who has chosen to use high-tech surveillance equipment to monitor his property, making it very dangerous for law enforcement officers to approach.”

Deputies and Vicksburg Police officers began looking for Greg Hearn, 31, 895 Grange Hall Road, soon after the lab was discovered at noon. He is wanted for possession of two or more precursor chemicals with intent to manufacture. The charges were filed after officials seized crystal methamphetamine, weapons, chemicals and surveillance equipment from Hearn’s camper on the South Vicksburg road.

“This is definitely a big hit to the production of methamphetamine in Warren County,” said Deputy Randy Lewis.

City and county law enforcement officials spent six hours removing nearly $10,000 in weapons, equipment and chemicals from the property. Items seized from a barn, vehicle and the camper included:

Two handguns, an assault pistol, eight rifles and one shotgun;

A night-vision scope, other surveillance equipment, including four monitors, several motion detectors mounted in trees surrounding the camper, two police scanners and two sets of walkie-talkies,

A set of digital scales, two quarts of methamphetamine oil, traces of crystal methamphetamine, 50 pounds of ammonia nitrate and an air tank used for breathing when the drug is cooking.

“This lab is characteristic of the danger posed not only to the community but to the law enforcement officers who are challenged with combating the manufacture of crystal methamphetamine,” Pace said.

The lab was discovered as Deputies Ford Emery and John Roland attempted to serve a misdemeanor stalking warrant on Hearn. The pair reported suspicious-looking cans and the surveillance equipment.

“Thanks to the observance of two deputies, we’ve been able to dismantle a crystal methamphetamine lab that was a danger to those not only producing the drug, but anyone that would been in the area,” Pace said.

Hearn is believed to be driving a green and silver 1994 Chevrolet Z71 pickup with Warren County license plates.

Pace said Hearn has no felony police record and officials were working with his family to find him.

Vicksburg and Warren County law enforcement officials were asking anyone with information on Hearn’s whereabouts to call the sheriff’s department at 636-1761 or 911.