CRYSTAL, Maine — Police efforts to cut the commercial supply line of methamphetamine that flows into Aroostook County have led to small manufacturing labs popping up around The County. The arrest of two Crystal residents and a Sherman man Monday, Dec. 23, was related to one of those operations.

Jamie Kaelin, 41, and Andrea Pipes, 35, were arrested without incident at their Crystal Road home after police found methamphetamine and evidence of meth manufacturing during a search. Maine Drug Enforcement agents also seized four firearms, alleged to be possessed illegally and used in drug crimes.





Kaelin and Pipes were both charged with aggravated operation of a methamphetamine lab.

“MDEA and our law enforcement partners have charged nearly 40 people in the past year for their roles in smuggling large quantities of commercial methamphetamine into northern Maine,” MDEA commander Darrell Crandall said.

“With these persistent enforcement efforts aimed at slowing the supply of commercial methamphetamine into this area it is not surprising to see pockets of local manufacturing increase as long as the demand for the drug remains,” he said.

Also arrested in connection with the investigation was Todd Burdick, 49, of Sherman, who was charged with possession of methamphetamine and operation of a methamphetamine lab.

Burdick was on probation for making methamphetamine in 2016, and will return to court for violating conditions of probation. Crandall said that Burdick’s attempts to make methamphetamine in 2016 caused two fires in Sherman.

Kaelin, Pipes and Burdick were taken to Aroostook County Jail. Burdick was denied bail based on his probation violation, while bail was set at $750 cash each for Kaelin and Pipes.

MDEA was assisted Monday evening by the Aroostook County Sheriff’s Office, Maine Department of Environmental Protection and Patten Fire Department.

Information on drug crimes may be reported to MDEA by calling the Tip Line at 800-452-6457 or anonymously by using MDEA’s Tip411 application for iPhone and Android. Text “MDEA,” followed by the information to 847411.