- May 8, 2024
-
-
Loading
Loading
A Volusia County Sheriff's Office deputy visited a home on a routine investigation, but found Andrea Demarco, Benjamin Patonai and Ryan Campbell were manufacturing meth.
BY THE OBSERVER STAFF
A fraud complaint led the the arrest of three Ormond Beach residents who were running a meth lab in the city.
Andrea Demarco, Benjamin Patonai and Ryan Campbell were arrested Wednesday, Feb. 20, after Volusia County Sheriff's Office deputies discovered a meth lab being run out of Demarco’s home, where her two children also lived.
The victim alerted law enforcement after three fraudulent transactions were logged to his Daytona Beach business’ account. The three transactions, which totaled $1,295, all transferred money to a company called FI FINE, based in Daytona Beach, which is owned by Demarco, who was formerly known as Andrea Lunt, according to the report.
A deputy went to Demarco’s home, 8 Fox Run Trail, to investigate, and as he was walking to the front door, he saw Patonai walking inside the residence carrying a plastic sandwich bag containing an unknown liquid.
The deputy knocked on the front door and Patonai answered. Patonai explained that he was temporarily living with Demarco and said he was going to use the liquid in the bag to unclog his syringe, which he planned to use for drug activities.
According to the report, the deputy told Patonai he was not there for a drug investigation and was looking to speak with Demarco. Patonai let the deputy enter the home and brought him to Demarco, who was laying on the bed in a room with Campbell, loose pills and a plastic wrapper in plain view.
Demarco brought the deputy to another room to talk, and on the table was a line of suspected meth powder, the deputy wrote in his report. Demarco, who earlier admitted to using cocaine, denied knowing anything about the power.
Demarco, Patonai and Campbell were read their Miranda rights at this point, according to the report, and then the deputy continued to search the home.
The search revealed a box of wax paper, Drano and a glass container, with white flakey residue, in a bag. The deputy also found an opened bottle containing an unknown clear liquid with white residue on the bottom.
According to the report, all items were consistent with the manufacturing of methamphetamine.
Demarco admitted to a Department of Children and Families investigator that she had used meth, cocaine and alcohol recently, but that she locks herself in the bathroom whenever she uses drugs. The 9- and 10-year-old children living at the residence never witnessed her drug activity, she said.
Demarco also admitted, according to the report, she knew manufacturing meth was dangerous, especially around children, and said the children were not home during the manufacturing.
Demarco, Patonai and Campbell were all charged with manufacturing meth. Patonai received an additional charge of trafficking meth, after the plastic bag he was carrying tested positive.
Demarco, in addition to the manufacturing meth charge, was charged with three counts of grand theft, in connection to the fraud, which she admitted to, three counts of uttering forged instruments, organizing schemes to defraud and child abuse.
All three were transported to Volusia County Branch Jail.
