A Florida couple was arrested for allegedly making meth on the grounds of a Venice library, the Bradenton Herald reported.
Sarasota County deputies arrested the couple after an undercover officer came across them apparently cooking up methamphetamine at their campsite outside the Jacaranda Library on Monday.
The couple, 23-year-old Tiffany Stoltz and her boyfriend 28-year-old Raymond King, was charged with felony counts of possession of listed chemicals with intent to manufacture and attempt to manufacture meth, according to the newspaper.
King, who has a history of drug-related arrests, had been camping out at the library for nearly a month, police said. Police caught on to his antics when they received a tip that someone was making meth at the library located on Woodmere Park Boulevard.
An undercover detective arrived at the site to find a woman sitting on a mattress.
"As he continued surveillance a man rode up on his bicycle, removed several items from his backpack and began mixing liquids," the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office said in a statement obtained by the newspaper. "Due to the inherent hazard of manufacturing meth and the risk to citizens at this location, deputies took the suspects into custody."
Police found several tools that are often used to make meth, including lithium batteries, tubes, and bottles of Coleman fuel. County firefighters recovered various unknown liquids from the campsite, the newspaper reported.
Police also found 20 pills containing pseudoephedrine, which is commonly used in meth, the Herald Tribune reported. Stoltz, who also has prior drug-related arrests, admitted to buying the pseudoephedrine.
"Detectives learned King sent associated to buy pseudoephedrine at local pharmacies and provided them with meth in exchange for their services," police said according to the Bradenton Herald.
King and Stoltz were booked at the Sarasota County Jail where they remain on $15,000 bond.
