AUBURN — A Lewiston couple police said operated a methamphetamine lab out of their home pleaded not guilty Wednesday to related drug charges.

Ethel Hallock, 51, and Mark Theriault, 45, of 212 Pond Road each appeared in Androscoggin County Superior Court to answer to a single charge of unlawful trafficking of scheduled drugs, a Class B felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison. They were indicted last month by an Androscoggin County grand jury.

Police in October raided what they called a methamphetamine lab at the couple’s home.

Both have been released on cash bail: Hallock, $500; Theriault, $5,000; with conditions including no use or possession of pseudoephedrine, the main ingredient in the manufacture of methamphetamine. They are subject to random searches and testing for that drug.

The charges stem from an agent from the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency who had noticed the couple had made significant purchases of pseudoephedrine.

Two drug agents went to the couple’s home. Hallock told the agents she’d used methamphetamine and bought pseudoephedrine to give to Theriault so he could make meth at their home where it had been made before, according to court papers.

In an interview with a different agent, Theriault admitted that he made meth using a so-called “one-pot” method at his home. He said he routinely burned all of the leftover material in his yard afterward, according to court papers.

Hallock was arrested at the Pond Road home. Agents executed a search warrant at that home where they found some of the materials used to make the drug.

Theriault was arrested later after he arrived home from work.

At least one gram of the drug was found in the home by a special response team that used specialized protective gear.

Agents in chemical suits had spread drug-making materials on a table and on the ground behind the house.

Hallock’s elderly mother lived with her on the first floor of the building. Hallock’s daughter, her daughter’s girlfriend and three children lived on the second floor. When agents arrived at the home, one of the children was on the first floor.

cwilliams@sunjournal.com