Franklin County meth cook headed to prison

KSDK -- A Franklin County meth cook who paid his smurfers with his drug is headed to prison.

32-year-old Andrew Unnerstall, of Washington, was sentenced to 125 months in prison on federal charges related to making meth.

Unnerstall pleaded guilty in April to one felony count of conspiracy to possess pseudoephedrine with the intent to manufacture methamphetamine.

Unnerstall obtained pseudoephedrine to make his meth from Kevin Basham and various suppliers, also known in the meth trade as "smurfers".

Federal prosecutors said that between the Fall of 2007 and September 2008, Kevin Basham obtained pseudoephedrine based cold tablets from smurfers. They included Julie Snider, Timothy Bonnarens, Jill Stanley, and Melissa Oberndorfer, among others. They would purchase boxes of pills at various locations throughout the time period and bring them to Basham. Basham and another person would turn the pills over to Andy Unnerstall to make the meth.

After Unnerstall manufactured the meth, he would give some of the drug to Basham who would then give it to the people who supplied the pills. Andy Unnerstall would pay Basham with meth. Basham was present several times when Andy Unnerstall took the pills and cooked methamphetamine.

On March 15, 2008, a Warren County police officer observed Unnerstall speeding. After the officer pulled Unnerstall over, he approached the drivers door he smelled a strong odor of starting fluid/acid emanating from the vehicle. The officer observed items associated with the use of methamphetamine. Unnerstall also had a baggie of methamphetamine. Unnerstall was arrested.

The officer searched the vehicle and located a bag of crushed pseudoephedrine powder (which Unnerstall had obtained from Kevin Basham), lithium batteries, a glass container, additional plastic baggies containing methamphetamine, muriatic acid, starting fluid, tools, night vision goggles, mixing utensils, containers and gloves. In the trunk were additional items used in the manufacturing of methamphetamine such as containers, foil, tubing with modified caps, connectors, tools and pseudoephedrine and methamphetamine.

On July 1, 2008, members of the Franklin County Narcotics Enforcement Unit searched Basham's trailer. Melissa Oberndorfer and Jill Stanley were inside. The officers seized various items including drug paraphernalia, an empty pseudoephedrine, acetone, denatured alcohol, coffee filters, mineral spirits, a scale and a grinder. These items were used to breakdown the pills and separate the pseudoephedrine.

Four co-conspirators have pleaded guilty and have been sentenced to terms of imprisonment ranging from 36 months to 97 months on related charges.