San Diego
Two employees of a chemical disposal firm were indicted Friday on charges of selling chemicals seized from illegal drug labs for use in manufacturing methamphetamine.
The San Diego firm, Chemical Waste Management Inc., was under contract to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration to dispose of chemicals and toxic waste seized at illicit county drug labs when employees William G. Burdick, 29, and Robert Weiler, 30, allegedly diverted the seized chemicals and sold them so they could be reused for drug manufacture, according to U.S. Atty. William Braniff.
The pair were charged in a three-count federal indictment with conspiracy to possess the chemical ephedrine, intent to manufacture methamphetamine and possession of a chemical with intent to manufacture methamphetamine.
William Longpre, 33, of Santee, who allegedly bought the chemicals from Burdick and Weiler, faces the same charges. All three are scheduled to be arraigned in federal district court Tuesday. Each could be sentenced to as much as 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine.
Weiler is in custody at the Metropolitan Correctional Center. Burdick and Longpre are free on bond.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
