FORMER ROSS POLICE OFFICER PLEADS GUILTY IN METH CASE

A former Ross police officer pleaded guilty this morning to
conspiring with his girlfriend to make methamphetamine in his
Shadyside apartment.

Michael L. Baird, 37, could face prison at his sentencing in federal
court in March.

Mr. Baird, who was fired from his position, was arrested, along with
his girlfriend, Jennifer Paczan, after a raid at his apartment
building in February. U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents
were at the Graham Street apartment to serve a search warrant on a
third-floor apartment, when one of the occupants asked, "What about
the laboratory downstairs?"

Agents, who expected to evacuate the building anyway, received
permission to search Mr. Baird's second-floor apartment, and they
found supplies to make methamphetamine, including commercial scales,
acetone, methanol and ethanol, litmus paper, a hot plate, and a
laptop that had been used to access several meth manufacturing Web sites.

Ms. Paczan is scheduled to go to trial tomorrow.