MILLVILLE —

Agents from the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) arrested a local methamphetamine producer, also known as “The Chemist,” who said he flew to India to obtain the ingredients he needed to make the drug, according to details of an arrest report they provided Friday.

Richard Sutton, 48, of Millville, was arrested Tuesday around 12:30 p.m. and charged with distribution of and possession with intent to distribute over 50 grams of methamphetamine.

He was charged for an incident detailed in a report by DEA agent Darrin Delvicsio.

Delvicsio explained how he used a confidential source to get past Sutton’s elaborate system of code-words and evasive tactics that he futilely hoped would help him to avoid arrest.

“In September 2011, a confidential source of information, CS-1, provided information to law enforcement officers regarding an individual, whom he knew as Richard Sutton, aka ‘Rick’ aka ‘the Chemist,’” read the report.

CS-1 said Sutton was manufacturing and selling methamphetamine in Gloucester County.

It also revealed that CS-1 was arrested for distributing methamphetamine and agreed to cooperate with the DEA “. . . in hope of receiving a reduced sentence.”

CS-1 set up a deal with Sutton by telephone on October 31, with Sutton using a complicated code.

The report alludes to a previous $5,000 deal CS-1 made with Sutton on Sept. 28, when he sold him just over four ounces of methamphetamine.

“I thought that I would be better off with these new tenants right, but it looks like to me they’re going to cost me twice as much as the last tenants,” Sutton said in the report.

CS-1 asked for twice as much methamphetamine as the previous order, but Sutton, continuing to use the tenant code, explained he would not be able to offer wholesale prices.

“Sutton told CS-1 that his tenants had a heater problem and that he had to turn the heater on and that the heater got to (sic) hot. Sutton elaborated and told CS-1 that the boiler system in the boiler has to heat the water and that the water has to stay at a certain temperature. Sutton further told CS-1 that when you want to heat the upstairs you have to turn the thermostat on and that triggers the circulator pump, which all that does is circulate the hot water upstairs,” the report read.

He continued to emphasize that the “tenants” cost him twice as much in damage, and then said he would call CS-1 in a week.

After two more abortive attempts, Sutton agreed on Nov. 21 to meet with CS-1 the following morning at a Wawa in Malaga.

The agents had a K-9 search CS-1’s car before the deal to ensure there were no other drugs already inside, and then gave CS-1 $5,000 to buy the methamphetamine.

CS-1 met Sutton at the Delsea Drive Wawa and then followed him, followed closely by a DEA surveillance team.

The pair first pulled over on Dutchmill Road, where Sutton exited his vehicle and walked back to CS-1’s car.

CS-1 then followed Sutton to a cul-de-sac in the Deere Meadows housing development in Franklinville before turning around and heading back to Main Road.

CS-1 then parked their car on the side of Main Road, left their hazard lights on and hopped into Sutton’s GMC Envoy.

Sutton drove off with CS-1 as his passenger and lost the surveillance team.

CS-1 said Sutton made sure they did not have their phone, and then Sutton took the battery out of his.

“Furthermore, Sutton pointed to the On-Star system installed in the vehicle. . . CS-1 believed that Sutton was warning him/her that their conversations could be monitored by law enforcement through the On-Star System,” the report read.

CS-1 said Sutton told then he went to India to purchase the chemicals to make methamphetamine since it is not illegal to do so in that country. He allegedly showed CS-1 pictures of his trip there.

After giving CS-1 the methamphetamine they came to purchase, along with an extra ounce, Sutton also gave them an article, which he said was about the United States government imposing worldwide drug laws that would make it impossible to buy the chemicals in India any longer.

He then inquired about “the guy,” a person made up by the DEA who could supposedly acquire the chemicals.

CS-1 said “the guy” needed to know what amounts of the chemicals Sutton would need.

Sutton handed CS-1 a glass jar filled with Phenyl-2-Propanone and said that was what he needed, then cautioned CS-1 to not get caught.

CS-1 then handed Sutton the money, returned to their car, and went to meet with DEA agents who discovered the meth was 40.4% pure.

The report ends at this point.

Matthew Reilly, Deputy Public Affairs Officer for the DEA, said he could not release any

information as to Sutton’s exact address.

He also did not provide details about his bail amount or place of incarceration.

He said Sutton is being represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Maggie Moy.