Fred A. Burlingame

BAY CITY, MI -- A Rhodes man charged with operating a "Breaking Bad"-style meth lab inside an RV is facing up to more than 19 years in prison after pleading guilty to a drug crime.

Fred A. Burlingame, 35, on Tuesday, June 9, appeared before U.S. District Magistrate Patricia T. Morris in the federal courthouse in downtown Bay City and pleaded guilty to one count of manufacture and attempted manufacture of methamphetamine. The charge is punishable by up to more than 19 years' imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release and a $1 million fine.

Burlingame's sentencing guidelines range from 188 months -- a little more than 15 and 1/2 years -- and 235 months, court records show. Prosecutors are recommending Burlingame's eventual sentence not exceed the minimum of the guidelines, court records show. Prosecutors cited Burlingame's "acceptance of responsibility" for their stance on his sentencing recommendation.

In exchange for his plea, the prosecution agreed to dismiss single counts of unlawful transport of firearms and possession of unregistered firearms.

Burlingame's legal woes began in mid December, when police, in searching for him on a stolen truck complaint, found him at his girlfriend's unit at Auburn Square Apartments, 4815 S. Garfield Road in Auburn, according to court records.

When police entered the apartment, Burlingame was in the process of drying 0.11 grams of meth in a microwave, police have said. In the complex's parking lot was a 1988 Chevrolet Alero mobile home, inside which Burlingame was making his illicit product, witnesses told police, according to court records.

"Burlingame and his girlfriend, and, at times, his girlfriend's minor daughter, resided in Burlingame's motor home, which he parked in the lots or driveways of various apartment buildings or houses," court records state.

Police discovered the makings of a meth lab inside the RV, as well as a .20-gauge shotgun, ammunition and two pipe bombs, court records state.

Between July 20, 2010, and Sept. 13, 2014, Burlingame made 33 purchases of pseudoephedrine hydrochloride -- a nasal decongestant that serves as a meth component -- totaling 76.8 grams of the substance, court records show.

The RV had not been registered since 2005, was not insured and had improper license plates, according to court records. Burlingame also has a suspended driver's license, police have said.

U.S. District Judge Thomas L. Ludington is to sentence Burlingame at 2 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 17.