PONTE VEDRA Fla.-- Mary Jane Santiero has lived at Sawgrass for 20 years. She said she moved there for its tranquility, and stayed there for its safety.
So when the peaceful community she knew went into panic after a meth lab was discovered at the nearby Marriott, she was in shock.
"That's surprising for sure here," she said. "They must not have done their research to come here to the Marriott to set up a meth lab."
Police didn't waste any time taking in 34-year-old Corey McGann Smith of Panama Beach, Fla., and 29-year-old Amanda Underwood of Nashville, Tenn.
Sgt. Chuck Mulligan with the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office tells Action News meth is a growing problem that's popping up in unexpected places.
"We certainly have seen an increase in the northeast Florida area," he said.
The meth lab at the Marriott is the second operation discovered in just the last week. On Sunday, a suspected mobile meth lab was found in a Southside baseball dugout just steps away from Southside Estates Elementary School. Sgt. Chuck Mulligan says these days, nobody is immune to the problem.
"Meth doesn't show up in a particular sociogeographical area. Meth shows up wherever an addict might be."
For Santeiro, she's just grateful that the bad guys are now behind bars and that police acted quickly, nipping a very dangerous situation in the bud.
"It's a reminder that I live in a safe community."
The two suspects are being held at the St. Johns County jail with a $46,000 bond.
Representatives from the Marriott tell Action News that they have moved all of the guests who were staying in rooms surrounding the room where the meth lab was found as an extra safety precaution.
