Man sentenced to 15 years for making meth

A Russellville man is facing prison time after his involvement in an active meth lab this past winter.

Gerald Lee Benstine, 36, pleaded guilty to a 15-year sentence for first-degree unlawful manufacturing of a controlled substance.

Benstine was charged with first-degree unlawful manufacturing of a controlled substance and trafficking methamphetamine in February of this year.

While executing a search warrant at the apartment the defendant resided in, officers with the Russellville Police Department discovered an active meth lab.

According to officials, the lab was still cooking and was very dangerous.

“This crime is more disturbing than some meth lab crimes because the defendant had an active meth lab cooking in an apartment complex where innocent people could have been injured,” Franklin County District Attorney Joey Rushing said.

“We think the length of the defendant’s sentence is a reflection of the severity of the crime.”