Rhea County deputies raided a mobile home just outside of Dayton and found a methamphetamine lab.

Narcotics Investigator Mike Bice with the Rhea County Sheriff’s Department said he received information that a meth lab was in operation at a singlewide mobile home on Bradmeyer Drive east of Dayton. He secured a search warrant and arranged to visit the mobile home.

Bice, assisted by Chief Deputy John Argo, sergeants Matt Rose and Davin Payne and deputies Zach Davis, Mike Patterson, Wayne Cox, Josh Jordan and Gerald Brewer, served the search warrant at about 7 p.m..

As the officers entered the home, they found Jimmy McVay, 35, who rents the mobile home, and Anthony Lamar Phipps, 32, of Pete Worthington Road, Dayton, in the kitchen. Upon searching the mobile home, the officers found all the equipment and chemicals necessary for a meth lab in the master bedroom, although the lab was not actually in operation, Bice said.

Bice charged both McVay and Phipps with manufacturing a Schedule II controlled substance (methamphetamine). They are both being held in the Rhea County Jail pending payment of $75,000 bonds.

Bice charged both McVay and Phipps with manufacturing a Schedule II controlled substance (methamphetamine). They are both being held in the Rhea County Jail pending payment of $75,000 bonds and are scheduled for arraignment in Rhea County General Sessions Court on Friday.

In another case, a Spring City man was arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a 6-year-old girl in his care.

The mother of the little girl first contacted the sheriff’s department on Nov. 29 after her daughter told her that a distant relative, Isaac Matthew Baker, 34, of Rocky Springs Road, Spring City, had kissed her and touched her inappropriately, according to Detective Rocky Potter who investigates crimes against children for the Rhea County Sheriff’s Department.

Potter interviewed the girl and her mother and then took her to the Children’s Advocacy Center in Chattanooga to be interviewed by trained counselors.

The girl told authorities that on at least two occasions while Baker was babysitting the girl that he kissed her, removed her underwear and sexually assaulted her.

Potter had Deputy Wayne Cox bring Baker in for questioning Nov. 30, and he corroborated much of the girl’s statement, according to Potter.

The mother and daughter moved from the mobile home park where they were living and where Baker allegedly committed the assaults, Potter said. Because of this and to save the girl additional trauma, Potter did not immediately arrest Baker but presented his case to the Rhea County Grand Jury for an original indictment.

The girl is now receiving counseling.

The grand jury indicted Baker on two counts of aggravated sexual assault.

Baker is currently being held in the Rhea County Jail pending payment of a $25,000 bond. A court order is already in place prohibiting Baker from making any contact with the girl or her mother should he be released.

Aggravated sexual assault is a Class B felony.

John Carpenter can be reached at jcarpenter@xtn.net.