Jury Finds Livingston Man Guilty of Cooking Meth, LIVINGSTON, February 8, 2018 - A 258th District Court jury deliberated approximately 15 minutes on Thursday before returning a verdict of “guilty” against sixty-two year old Danny Lee Schanfish of Livingston for the felony offense of Possession or Transport of Chemicals with the Intent to Manufacture a Controlled Substance. The jury trial, which was prosecuted by Polk County District Attorney Lee Hon, stemmed from a January 29, 2015 investigation by Polk County Sheriff’s narcotics detectives of Schanfish’s residence located at 142 Loop 116 north of Livingston. In response to Crimestopper’s tips that methamphetamine was being distributed from the location, Detectives Anthony Lowrie, Christian Schanmier and William Jerry went to the residence and identified the occupants as Danny Lee Schanfish, his son Jared Schanfish and Samantha Simons. A search of the premises revealed trace quantities of methamphetamine as well as quantities of pseudoephedrine, lithium batteries, drain cleaner, fertilizer and rock salt which Lowrie testified were all associated with the manufacture of methamphetamine. In a recorded interview with Lowrie which was presented to the jury, Schanfish admitted to being aware that a small amount of methamphetamine was located at the property but minimized his involvement in the manufacture of the drug. Following his initial arrest, Schanfish jumped bail failing to appear for a scheduled court setting in March of 2016. He remained at large until July of 2017 at which time he was discovered hiding in a closet in his residence by deputies. In his closing argument, Hon characterized Schanfish as an “old meth cook” and implored the jury to “take advantage of this opportunity to take a stand against methamphetamine distribution in Polk County.”
Schanfish, who had been previously convicted in 2006 on Polk County charges of Possession with Intent to Deliver a Controlled Substance, Manufacture and Delivery of a Controlled Substance; and a federal charge of Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, faces a possible sentence of 5 to 99 years or Life in prison. A sentencing hearing is scheduled in the matter for March 13th before 258th District Judge E. L. McClendon.
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