Norfolk, Va. - Prosecutors say a military wife was cooking meth inside her military housing unit, with her children inside.
The new details came out during a bond hearing for Maria Williams in Norfolk General District Court on Tuesday.
She is trying get out of jail while awaiting trial for charges of manufacturing, possession, and conspiracy to distribute meth.
According to Williams, the meth wasn't hers.
In court, Williams testified that it was two of her house guests who were cooking the meth.
She says Mary Beacham and Kristen Toth were staying at her Eilers Street home inside Ben Moreell military housing.
Williams told a judge she left the two women at home alone frequently while she and her daughter went to run errands, and never knew they were using her kitchen to cook meth.
The Commonwealth Attorney for the case painted a different picture in court, saying meth was found all over the house, and that Beacham and Toth would testify against the military wife, saying she was indeed involved in making it.
All three women got busted on June 24th when Norfolk police say their officers were in the area serving warrants for probation and parole violations--Williams has been on probation since 2009 for a possession of cocaine charge.
Investigators say they found suspicious drug related materials consistent with meth production while at Williams’ home, and arrested all three women.
After their arrests, that same night, Beacham's own house on Forrest Avenue was raided by Norfolk police, who say they uncovered a meth lab there as well.
Norfolk police won't comment on if the two busts are connected, or part of a larger meth making ring—they still have not released the names of the two arrested at the Forrest Avenue house.
All three women arrested inside military housing are facing several drug charges with the investigation still continuing.
Williams said in court that her husband, an active duty military member, was away at the time in New York for a funeral.
Police say when he returned to his family’s Ben Moreell home, he found what he believed to be suspicious drug-related materials, and contacted investigators, which led to HAZMAT crews showing up the day before the 4th of July to the shock of nearby military families.
Related:
Military wife charged with cooking meth in Lincoln Military Housing
