ATLANTIC CITY-On February 14, 2018, a fire inside a hotel room resulted in the discovery of a make-shift meth lab and the arrest of a male.
At 9:47 am, patrol officers and the Atlantic City Fire Department responded to the Tropicana Casino and Resort for a report of a fire in a hotel room on the 44th floor of the West Tower. The fire was contained to one room and was quickly extinguished. The occupants of the room were not located. Several floors of the hotel were evacuated due to smoke.
During the course of the fire department’s investigation into the cause of the fire, police detectives were requested to the scene after the meth lab was located in the hotel room. The New Jersey State Police Hazardous Material Response Unit responded to the scene and dismantled the lab.
Tropicana surveillance officers were able to locate video footage of individuals that had fled the room and the hotel before the arrival of security and first responders. Detectives of the Special Investigations Section were able to quickly identify the two males and one female.
At 9:27 pm, Officers Latray Butcher and Branden Vongsasombath located all three individuals in the 2400 block of Pacific Avenue. They were taken into custody without incident. One male, Michael Pillar, was transported to the AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center, City Division, for treatment of injuries sustained in the fire.
An investigation by Detectives Jaimee Moore and Garry Stowe led to charges being filed against Pillar, who was the renter of the hotel room. The two other individuals were released with no charges.
This investigation was led by Detectives Jaimee Moore and Garry Stowe. The Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office also assisted.
ARRESTED: Michael Pillar, a 49 year old male from Whiting, NJ.
CHARGES: Maintain a controlled dangerous substance (CDS) production facility, possession of CDS (methamphetamine), and criminal mischief.
Pillar was remanded to the Atlantic County Justice Facility.
Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact the Atlantic City Police Department Special Investigations Section at 609-347-5858. Information can be text to tip411 (847411). Begin the text with ACPD. All texts are anonymous.
Photo Credit: Breaking Bad/AMC