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More working professionals busted for manufacturing meth

By Lori Brown - bio | email | Twitter | Facebook

FAYETTE COUNTY, TN (WMC-TV) - A startling new trend of business professionals manufacturing meth on the side seems to be emerging. The most recent case involves the arrest of a seemingly well-to-do couple at their upscale Fayette County home.

Christmas decorations light up many of the homes on Estate Drive in the Hickory Withe area. But the brightest thing on the home of Michael and Mary Dulin Sunday was a notice from the Fayette County Sheriff's Department about the meth lab bust that took place inside their home.

This Dulins were arrested Friday in Fayette County's eighth meth bust this year. Half of those raids have occurred in the last three weeks.

Last year, the county had no meth busts.

Homes busted for meth are typically shacks in rural areas, and those running the operation are usually unemployed.

But the Dulins' home is valued at more than $300,000, and the couple charged are business professionals.

Mary Dulin, 49, owns Memphis company PCS Medical Solutions. Her 51-year-old husband's arrest report says he works for the Tennessee Valley Authority.

Just over a week ago, two other working professionals were busted for making meth: Realtor Barry Fiala and nurse Diana Cowden.

Neighbors say the Dulins have lived on Estate Drive for about a decade. No one knows how long they may have been manufacturing meth inside the home. The sheriff's department was investigating them for a year.

"Periodically, we would smell something that smelled like lawn fertilizer, and people here have their lawns sprayed for pesticides and weeds, things like that," said neighbor David Wilson. "That's what we thought it was."

Neighbors had no idea a nightmare was brewing inside the beautiful home on Estate Drive.

Fayette County Sheriff Bobby Riles said publicity about the recent busts has raised awareness about meth, prompting people to call in with more tips and information.

Michael and Mary Dulin will face a judge Monday morning.

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