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All charges dropped against Haywood

All charges have been dropped against Sonoma resident Kevin Haywood, 44, who was arrested Jan. 13 after being suspected of manufacturing methamphetamine in the historic Nash-Patton Adobe on First Street East. Haywood also faced an enhancement charge for manufacturing drugs at a home within 1,000 feet of a school.

Assistant District Attorney Christine Cook told the Index-Tribune that after an extensive investigation, including toxicology reports on the chemicals found in the home, county prosecutors did not have “sufficient evidence to move forward with a case.”

Haywood had been free on $103,000 bail since shortly after his arrest in January. The incident came to light after a Sonoma police officer, questioning him about a series of local restaurant burglaries, executed a search warrant on the home as Haywood was on a searchable probation. He has a long criminal record, largely including drug offenses.

Inside, police found a cache of dangerous chemicals traditionally used to make meth. The manufacturing process had not begun and no chemicals had been mixed or released freely into the building, which is owned by Haywood's mother, Anita Haywood.

Anita Haywood was not present and had not been living in the home during her son's occupation of the home, which has now been put up for sale with an asking price of $1.2 million.

Immediately after discovery of the meth components, police vacated the building and the scene was processed by a team from the Clandestine Lab Enforcement Program, a division of the Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement within the state Department of Justice. The results of toxicology reports on those chemicals were not sufficient to draw charges, prosecutors said.

“We were unable to file charges,” Cook said. “We have the highest standard of evidence, proof beyond a reasonable doubt. We did not feel we could meet it.”