posted February 27, 2006
Former meth cooker Steven Addison testified Monday morning in Federal Court that he bought iodine flakes and iodine liquid from Joe Swafford at Broadway Home and Garden on South Broad Street on and off from 2001 until Swafford was arrested in Oct. 2004.
And officials of two large equine product wholesalers said Swafford was their biggest iodine customer by far.
Swafford is standing trial on charges of selling large amounts of iodine that was used in meth production. His attorneys say he did not know what the iodine was being used for.
Addison said when he went in the store there were usually no other customers. Each time he would go to a particular aisle to get the iodine. He said one day the iodine was not there and he noticed someone else in the store. When he went to talk to Swafford, Swafford pointed to a piece of paper he was holding that had the insignia of a law enforcement agent, said Addison.
Addison said while the agent was there, Swafford started talking to Addison about other products he would sell.
Addison said he went to Broadway about every week or every other week and usually got around a pound of iodine flakes and sometimes two pounds. Later he started buying liquid iodine instead. Each time Addison said would tell Swafford that it was for his horses, though he did not own any.
Jerry Lowery testified that he was contacted by County Lt. Tommy Farmer to work as a confidential informant. He wore a body wire while he went to Swafford to buy iodine on several occasions. He said the first time he purchased three two-ounce bottles of iodine and Swafford explained how to get rid of the impurities.
The informant said he told Swafford that he was purchasing the iodine for his horses. Swafford asked him what type of horses he liked and he said, “Just about anything.”
On one occasion when he went to buy iodine, Swafford asked if it was for his horses and he replied, “Of course, it’s for a horse. His name is Mr. Ed.” He said Swafford laughed.
The informant said the next time he went to buy iodine, another customer was in the store, so Swafford told him to wait about pulling out the cash until after the customer had left.
The jury listened to several taped conversations between the informant and Swafford.
Police Officer and certified ferrier Jason Whittemore also testified. As a ferrier, Officer Whittemore said the most iodine he has used at a time on a horse was “a pinch.” He said iodine is sometimes used during procedures, such as removing an abscess in a hoof. He said if the horse is bleeding, a “sprinkle of iodine with turpentine” might be used to stop the bleeding.
Also, if the horse is cut during the procedure, he said sometimes iodine and sugar are mixed, creating a paste that is placed in a diaper and taped to the horse’s hoof. He noted that only small amounts are used and often the iodine is diluted.
“I would never use large amounts,” said the officer. He named all of the supplies he carries in his truck to tend to horses. ”Iodine is not something I usually keep in my truck,” he said. “The most I have ever had at a time was half an ounce.”
Prosecutor Paul Laymon said Swafford had about 2,410 pounds of iodine flakes. Officer Whittemore said he didn’t think anyone in this region could use that much iodine for horses.
Tim Witt of Holt Products in Wisconsin said Broadway was a big customer of iodine beginning in March 2000. He said he bought 441 pounds of iodine until the firm stopped selling it by the pound, and he bought 1,178 gallons of iodine.
He said often his orders were marked "rush" and requested overnight shipment.
The witness said the firm sold Swafford iodine at $17.50 a gallon and $43.50 a pound. It was testified that one meth cooker paid Swafford $55 a gallon and $115 a pound.
The Holt Products official was asked if he was surprised by the large iodine order. He said, "Only in retrospect."
Questioned by attorney Tom Greenholz, he said he was not worried about being prosecuted for selling the large quantities of iodine.
Bradley Simon of Gateway Products in Holly, Colo., told of selling thousands of pounds of iodine to Broadway from July 30, 2002 to May 2004.
He said when he got the first large order, he contacted a Drug Enforcement Agency officer in Denver who had warned about the use of iodine in meth. He said he continued to inform the agent about the Swafford orders. He said the agent told him to continue the bulk sales.
He said Swafford paid by credit card, which he said was unusual. He said most merchants wanted additional time so they could clear the merchandise off their shelves.
He said he stopped selling to Swafford when he would not sign a form saying if they had a legal dispute that the matter would be handled in Colorado.
Former meth cooker Johnny Smith told of making numerous iodine purchases at Broadway. He said, "The place was always empty. That made it more comfortable."
Smith, who is serving an 87-month federal sentence for a meth conviction, said he was using liquid iodine, but Swafford pulled out a container of crystal iodine from under the counter. Smith said he told Swafford, "That's exactly what I'm looking for."
Smith said he always paid Swafford in cash.
Smith said at one time he would get the ephedrine he needed for meth from a store owner in Rossville. He said he paid the man "a large amount of money" in order to get bulk amounts of ephedrine. He said that worked "until the man was murdered in a robbery."
Smith said a pound of iodine would make about half a pound of meth. He said he could get up to $600 or $700 a pound for the meth.
Smith said he was arrested by federal authorities on Sept. 15, 2002. He indicated he continued to make meth until his sentencing, saying he would send others for the ingredients.
Attorneys Paul Cross and Howell Clements are representing Swafford. Judge Curtis Collier is overseeing the trial. Upon request by the jury, Judge Collier is allowing the trial to be recessed on both Wednesday and Friday afternoons.
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