North Liberty police pull over car, find mobile meth lab

A pair of transients are in custody after police say they were driving a mobile meth lab in North Liberty Friday night.

According to criminal complaints, North Liberty officers ran the license plate of a suspicious vehicle around 10:30 p.m., and found the plates were not a match to the vehicle. After police pulled the vehicle over, the driver fled the scene on foot.

Officers spoke with the passenger, Clark M. McKey, 57, who consented to a search. McKey had a syringe, police said, and items consistent with methamphetamine use could be seen in a bag in the back seat of the vehicle.

Upon further investigation, a meth lab and a small bag of meth was located in the vehicle.

Police later found the vehicle's driver, Jeremy S. Lafler, 30. During a search, police found Lefler had two bags containing between two and three grams each of meth. Lafler has two prior convictions for controlled substance possession.

McKey was also charged with possession of a controlled substance. He is being held in Johnson County Jail on a $2,500 cash-only bond.

Lafler was charged with possession of a controlled substance, a Class D felony, along with driving while barred. He is being held in Johnson County Jail on a $12,500 cash-only bond.