Motel drug bust nets two

An Ardmore woman and her Oklahoma City boyfriend were arrested Monday when narcotics officers served a search warrant on the motel room they were using to distribute methamphetamine.

Marissa Lewis, 32, and Gregg Chetpatananont, 33, were booked into the Carter County Detention Center following their arrest by the Carter County Sheriff's Department and Ardmore Police Department narcotics divisions. They are being held on $45,000 bonds pending charges of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute.

Capt. Gregg Johnson, CCSD Narcotics Division, said the couple had been targeted by both agencies.

"Both agencies had received information they were coming into Ardmore, renting rooms at various motels and selling methamphetamine from those motel rooms," Johnson said.

The CCSD and APD began a cooperative undercover investigation.

"That investigation led to the purchase of methamphetamine from them at a motel room and led to the issue of a search warrant," Johnson said.

The two agencies served the search warrant Monday afternoon. Johnson said as officers entered the room Lewis attempted to distract them by falling onto a bed. Meanwhile, Chetpatananont tried to destroy evidence by running into the bathroom where he attempted to flush a stash of meth down the toilet. The liquidation effort was unsuccessful and officers recovered approximately 5 grams of methamphetamine.

Also confiscated were items such as baggies and scales, which Sgt. Keith Ingle, APD Narcotics Division, said were being used to package and distribute the narcotic.

Johnson and Ingle concurred that Lewis' and Chetpatananont's illegal enterprise is becoming more and more frequent in Ardmore and throughout Carter County.

"People are leaving the area and either driving north to Oklahoma City or south to Dallas where they are obtaining meth and they are then bringing it back to this area to sell," Johnson said.

The couple is expected to make initial appearances in Carter County District Court today.