Jason Blankenship et al. Press Release (Sentencing)

March 27, 2008
For Immediate Release

THREE FRANKLIN & PHELPS COUNTY PEOPLE SENTENCED ON FEDERAL METHAMPHETAMINE CHARGES

St. Louis, MO: Two Franklin County people and one from Phelps County have been sentenced on federal methamphetamine charges, United States Attorney Catherine L. Hanaway and Franklin County Sheriff Gary Toelke announced today.

Jason Blankenship, Sullivan, Missouri, was sentenced today to 55 months in prison; also sentenced today to 37 months in prison was Katrina Marie Decker, Sullivan, Missouri. Debra Yates, Rolla, Missouri, was sentenced to 53 months on March 13, 2008.

In February 2007, Debra Yates called Katrina Decker to ask for a ride to Rolla, Missouri, to shop for pseudoephedrine pills that would be used to manufacture methamphetamine. Decker would receive four grams of finished methamphetamine for her participation in obtaining pseudoephedrine pills.

They purchased pseudo pills at Walmart stores in Rolla, Cuba, Owensville and Washington, Missouri. After purchasing the pills, Yates and Decker met with Jason Blankenship and went to his residence in Sullivan, Missouri. As they were attempting to manufacture anhydrous ammonia, a propane tank exploded and the basement filled with a cloud of gas. Blankenship was critically injured in the explosion. Decker and Yates drove him to Missouri Baptist Hospital in Sullivan, and left him there.

When law enforcement officers arrived at Blankenship's residence after the explosion, they smelled a chemical odor and observed that the door to the basement was damaged; it appeared to have been blown open with sufficient force to rip the dead bolt through the door jamb. The officers observed piles of debris in the basement where dry-wall had been blown from the walls and ceiling. A 20-pound propane gas cylinder was blown apart and shrapnel was strewn about the basement, as well as numerous items used in the manufacturing of methamphetamine. Officers tracked down Yates at the home of a friend. She admitted that she had been at Blankenship's and in the basement when the explosion occurred. Yates was arrested and she was taken to a hospital. Her purse, jacket and two other bags were seized by the officers. Located in her purse were two empty pseudoephedrine boxes, two small bags containing suspected methamphetamine residue, three syringes, $260 in cash, numerous receipts showing the purchases of methamphetamine precursors and a notebook containing a list of precursors. A large number of pseudoephedrine pills were seized from her jacket. A trained forensic chemist analyzed the pills seized from Yates' jacket and found there to be a total of 948 tablets containing a total of 29.85 grams of actual pseudoephedrine.

The next morning, Decker learned that the police were looking for her. She contacted the Sheriff’s Department and was arrested. Decker admitted her involvement in obtaining the pseudoephedrine pills, other methamphetamine ingredients and equipment and her involvement in the attempted manufacturing of methamphetamine and the transportation of Blankenship to the hospital.

Hanaway commended the work performed on the case by the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department and Assistant United States Attorney Antoinette Decker, who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE EASTERN DISTRICT OF MISSOURI CATHERINE L. HANAWAY United States Attorney	NEWS RELEASE
For further information: Call Public Affairs Officer Jan Diltz at (314) 539-7719
March 27, 2008 For Immediate Release THREE FRANKLIN & PHELPS COUNTY PEOPLE SENTENCED ON FEDERAL METHAMPHETAMINE CHARGES St. Louis, MO: Two Franklin County people and one from Phelps County have been sentenced on federal methamphetamine charges, United States Attorney Catherine L. Hanaway and Franklin County Sheriff Gary Toelke announced today. Jason Blankenship, Sullivan, Missouri, was sentenced today to 55 months in prison; also sentenced today to 37 months in prison was Katrina Marie Decker, Sullivan, Missouri. Debra Yates, Rolla, Missouri, was sentenced to 53 months on March 13, 2008. In February 2007, Debra Yates called Katrina Decker to ask for a ride to Rolla, Missouri, to shop for pseudoephedrine pills that would be used to manufacture methamphetamine. Decker would receive four grams of finished methamphetamine for her participation in obtaining pseudoephedrine pills. They purchased pseudo pills at Walmart stores in Rolla, Cuba, Owensville and Washington, Missouri. After purchasing the pills, Yates and Decker met with Jason Blankenship and went to his residence in Sullivan, Missouri. As they were attempting to manufacture anhydrous ammonia, a propane tank exploded and the basement filled with a cloud of gas. Blankenship was critically injured in the explosion. Decker and Yates drove him to Missouri Baptist Hospital in Sullivan, and left him there. When law enforcement officers arrived at Blankenship's residence after the explosion, they smelled a chemical odor and observed that the door to the basement was damaged; it appeared to have been blown open with sufficient force to rip the dead bolt through the door jamb. The officers observed piles of debris in the basement where dry-wall had been blown from the walls and ceiling. A 20-pound propane gas cylinder was blown apart and shrapnel was strewn about the basement, as well as numerous items used in the manufacturing of methamphetamine. Officers tracked down Yates at the home of a friend. She admitted that she had been at Blankenship's and in the basement when the explosion occurred. Yates was arrested and she was taken to a hospital. Her purse, jacket and two other bags were seized by the officers. Located in her purse were two empty pseudoephedrine boxes, two small bags containing suspected methamphetamine residue, three syringes, $260 in cash, numerous receipts showing the purchases of methamphetamine precursors and a notebook containing a list of precursors. A large number of pseudoephedrine pills were seized from her jacket. A trained forensic chemist analyzed the pills seized from Yates' jacket and found there to be a total of 948 tablets containing a total of 29.85 grams of actual pseudoephedrine. The next morning, Decker learned that the police were looking for her. She contacted the Sheriff’s Department and was arrested. Decker admitted her involvement in obtaining the pseudoephedrine pills, other methamphetamine ingredients and equipment and her involvement in the attempted manufacturing of methamphetamine and the transportation of Blankenship to the hospital. Hanaway commended the work performed on the case by the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department and Assistant United States Attorney Antoinette Decker, who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.