MONTICELLO – Three Lawrence County men remained in custodyTuesday morning after the arrest of one man led to the discovery oftwo methamphetamine laboratories late Saturday night, authoritiessaid.

Larry Lambert, 39, of Neal Road, Monticello, was apprehendednear the Pearl River in Pike County with approximately seven gramsof meth in his possession, said Lawrence County Sheriff JoelThames.

Lambert was out on a felony bond issued in Lawrence County forthe manufacture of meth, Thames said. Lambert is now being held inthe Pike County Jail.

Rex A. Baker, 41, of Neal Road, Monticello, and Craig Rutland,32, of 894 Forest Grove Rd., Jayess, were arrested when officersraided Baker’s home after Lambert’s arrest. Baker and Rutland areboth charged with manufacturing meth with the intent to deliver,possession of precursor chemicals used to manufacture meth andpossession of meth. Both men were in custody Tuesday at theLawrence County Jail.

The raid on Baker’s home was prompted when law enforcementofficers notified the Pearl River Basin Narcotics Task Force andthe Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics of Lambert’s arrest and theynotified the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office.

“We had received information in the last few weeks that Lambertwas manufacturing again,” Thames said. “When we were notified ofhis arrest on new charges, we obtained a search warrant for hisresidence and that of his accomplice in the first crime.”

Lawrence County deputies and agents of the PRBNTF conducted asearch of Lambert’s and Baker’s homes late Saturday night. Bothhomes had meth labs.

“Baker’s was in operation at the time of the raid,” Thames said.”Both he and Mr. Rutland were there.”

In addition to the two labs, deputies also seized a 1997 PontiacFirebird and several firearms, including rifles, shotguns andhandguns, from Baker’s home, Thames said.

Lambert and Baker were both out on felony bonds, the sheriffsaid.

Lambert and Baker were arrested in February 2003 during atraffic stop on Bethel Road after a meth lab was found in the backof the pick up they were driving.

“More than likely, both of these men will be held without bond,”Thames said. “I’m sure the judge will set a bond for Mr.Rutland.”

Initial hearings for the three men are set for today, hesaid.