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Charges dropped against Texas man after 'meth' turns out to be kitty litter

By Ben Hooper
The suspected meth found in a sock inside a Texas man's trunk twice tested positive for the drug, but was later found to be normal kitty litter. Photo courtesy of the Harris County Sheriff's Office
The suspected meth found in a sock inside a Texas man's trunk twice tested positive for the drug, but was later found to be normal kitty litter. Photo courtesy of the Harris County Sheriff's Office

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HOUSTON, Jan. 11 (UPI) -- A Texas man arrested on meth charges that were later dropped said the substance that falsely tested positive for the drug was kitty litter.

Ross Lebeau was arrested Dec. 5 after a traffic stop for failing to use a blinker led him to admit to possessing marijuana and consent to allow officers to search his vehicle.

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Harris County Sheriff's Office deputies found a sock filled with an unknown substance in Lebeau's trunk.

"A field test was conducted, and these 'nuggets' tested positive for methamphetamine," the sheriff's office said in a Dec. 8 news release.

Lebeau said the sock had been placed in his trunk by his father, who told him it was meant to prevent his windshield from fogging up.

"At the time, I didn't know what was in there. But I knew it wasn't meth, or anything that could be drug related or harmful," Lebeau told KPRC-TV.

His father later revealed the substance was kitty litter.

"This was supposed to be a simple life hack to keep the fog out of the inside of your windshield, and then it turns into what they call a meth bust," Lebeau said.

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The sheriff's office said a second test confirmed the presence of methamphetamine, but the substance was sent to the Institute of Forensic Science, which concluded it did not contain meth or any other illegal materials.

The charges against Lebeau were dropped, but he said that isn't enough.

"I would like an apology," Lebeau told KTRK-TV.

He said he also plans to work to have the arrest expunged from his record.

"I was wrongly accused and I'm going to do everything in my power, with my family's backing, to clear my name," he said.

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