Wauconda residents evacuated as police raid meth lab

A police raid on a Wauconda apartment to uncover a methamphetamine lab also included a visit from a bomb squad, the evacuation of nearby buildings and closure of a stretch of Route 176, officials said Tuesday.

Bruce W. Keener Jr, 29, of the 700 block of East Liberty Street, was arrested and charged with unlawful participation of methamphetamine production and aggravated unlawful possession of a firearm during the unlawful production of methamphetamine - both Class X felonies.

Keener also is charged with felony unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon and unlawful possession of drug equipment, a misdemeanor, Wauconda Police Deputy Chief Patrick Yost said.

If found guilty of all charges, Keener could face a prison sentence of up to 30 years.

Police were tipped off at 3 p.m. Monday that Keener was manufacturing methamphetamine in the building, Yost said. After investigating and bringing in agents from Lake County's Metropolitan Enforcement Group, they raided Keener's apartment about 7 p.m.

After entering the apartment, police discovered what looked like an explosive device on a table, Yost said. They evacuated residents in the building and surrounding buildings, closed Route 176, and called in the Waukegan Bomb Squad just after 7 p.m., he said.

"It turned out what was thought to be an explosive was PVC tubing with caps on the end of it," Yost said. "The way it was siting and how it was closed off made them unsure of what it was. So we felt it was better to be safe and bring in experts."

After the bomb squad determined the device was not a bomb, Yost said, officers from the Illinois State Police Methamphetamine Response Team were called in to help safely disassemble the lab.

"Chemicals in creating methamphetamine are pretty brutal so we closed Route 176 and kept it closed for safety precautions," he said. "These labs with all the chemicals and what not, it's like dealing with a hazmat situation. It takes training to deal with this type of environment."

Residents were allowed back into their apartments and Route 176 was reopened about midnight, Yost said.

Lake County MEG and Wauconda police are investigating the crime scene, Yost said, and more charges could be filed at a later date.