Man sentenced after police find meth lab inside his Idaho Falls home
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IDAHO FALLS — A judge placed a man who ran a meth lab in his Idaho Falls house on probation after he pleaded guilty to his crimes.
Sebastian Aidan Malikai, 39, was placed on five years of felony probation Wednesday after pleading guilty to felony manufacturing of methamphetamine and misdemeanor injury to a child. District Judge Bruce Pickett handed down the sentence and suspended a two to 10-year prison sentence with credit for the nearly nine months Malikai already spent behind bars.
Court records show as part of an earlier plea agreement, a second injury to child charge was dropped and the other was reduced to a misdemeanor. A felony possession of methamphetamine charge was also dismissed by Bonneville County prosecutors as part of the agreement.
The Idaho Falls Police Department was called to Malikai’s house on Londonderry Avenue in January after he reportedly threatened to “murder” his family. Court records show when officers arrived at the domestic incident, they saw what they thought was ice melt salt all over the basement floor. Police spotted propane tanks, lab beakers, chemicals and other items commonly used to make methamphetamine.
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A woman at the home said there was an argument between her and Malikai and she worried that he, a retired United States Army Sergeant, would use his gun to kill the family. There were two young children inside the home when police arrived.
The woman told investigators Malikai had a history of using drugs, including when they lived in Germany. He reportedly had been dealing methamphetamine and marijuana in Idaho Falls, but could not afford the price and began making his own.
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Officers contacted Idaho State Police and investigators remained on the scene for hours as they cleaned up remnants of the meth lab.
In addition to the time on probation, Pickett ordered Malikai to complete 100 hours of community service and complete all recommended treatment programs. He was also ordered to pay $3,609.06 in fees and fines.