Image copyright LCPD Image caption Gose taught science before his arrest for meth distribution

A former science teacher in the US state of New Mexico has pleaded guilty to manufacturing the illegal drug methamphetamine, prosecutors say.

John Gose, 56, was arrested after lab equipment used to make meth was found in his vehicle during a traffic stop.

His plea has drawn comparisons to the TV show Breaking Bad, which tells the fictional story of a science teacher who produces meth after falling ill.

Gose faces up to 20 years in prison, the Las Cruces Sun-News reports.

A search of his apartment uncovered enough ingredients to produce about 1lb (0.5kg) of the stimulant, which has a street value of over $40,000 (£31,000).

"Thanks to the hard work of the Las Cruces Police Department, the New Mexico State Police and the prosecutors in this office, we are able to close the books on this case of life imitating art," District Attorney Mark D'Antonio said in a statement.

Gose had worked for over eight years at a high school in El Paso, Texas, and more recently had taught eighth-grade science for Las Cruces Public Schools.

In Breaking Bad, the fictional character Walter White teaches high school chemistry in Albuquerque, New Mexico's largest city.