Pontotoc County, located in south central Oklahoma, had a population 37,492 as of the 2010 census. The county seat is Ada, a small town with a population of nearly 17,000 Oklahomans. At one time part of the Chickasaw Nation in Indian Territory, Pontotoc County was created at statehood. Today, despite its proud heritage, it faces the ravages of meth abuse and the crimes it generates.
Meth Linked to Crime
According to John Christian, the Pontotoc County Sheriff, meth destroys a person—their mental health, their teeth, their bone structure. He muses how unbelievable it is that a person would put that poison into their body with all its devastating effects.
Meth is definitely poison, containing ingredients such as anti-freeze, battery acid, lantern fuel and drain cleaner. No matter by what of its many names it’s called—crystal meth, speed, crank, or just meth—it is a poison which overwhelmingly affects the user’s central nervous system, diminishing appetite, heightening alertness, and ruining mental and physical health.
The Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics (OBN) reports that meth increases body temperature, causes agitation, increases paranoia, and is capable of causing “amphetamine psychosis” and/or death.
Ada, Oklahoma and its surrounding area is now victimized by the scourge of meth and the crimes it generates. Pontotoc County has logged just over 300 felony charges in 2015 to date. Possession of methamphetamine accounts for about 22 percent—at least 67—of those felonies. And there are other crimes in Pontotoc County that can be linked to meth use.
Meth-related Crimes
According to Christian, meth is the number one drug used in Pontotoc County, with prescription drug abuse following close behind; and the use of the two drugs “run hand in hand.” Meth, he says, is the source accounting for probably 90 percent of Pontotoc County crimes. Meth is directly linked to property crimes—burglaries, thefts, and some of the assaults, according to Christian.
Meth users often steal things to trade or sell for meth, says Christian. Through the Drug-Free Coalition, he was able to conduct a survey of county jail inmates. Almost all reported drug use as a contributing factor in their situation.
Christian says that nearly every one of the inmates answering the survey reported some drug-related incident of either needing money to buy drugs, or were under the influence of drugs when committing their crime.
According to Christian, if drug abuse did not exist in Pontotoc County, it would result in drastic crime reduction.
The Damage Done
Much of the meth found during Ada, Oklahoma arrests is from Mexico, according to Jeff Crosby, Ada’s Assistant Police Chief. Area dealers bring meth in from Oklahoma City dealers, where it arrived from Mexico via the I-35 corridor.
OBN spokesman, Mark Woodward, confirmed that Oklahoma’s interstate system is used by drug traffickers to get the meth to dealers; and that much of the meth in Oklahoma does come from Mexico.
While tougher laws governing pseudoephedrine lowered meth lab seizures, meth use, meth addiction and meth-related deaths “continue to climb” as the U.S. market is flooded with crystal meth by Mexican drug-trafficking organizations.
According to Christian, the meth coming out of Mexico is incredibly strong and pure, and he’s seen increasing numbers of meth users suffering permanent physical and mental damage as a result, even after quitting meth use.
He notes that new meth users often intend to use the drug in moderation, but their meth use soon spins out of control. He muses that the meth devastates families; that parents want to save their meth-addicted children who don’t want to be saved, and the meth user is no longer at all concerned about consequences to self or others involved.
