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BLUE EARTH - A Faribault County duo charged for allegedly manufacturing methamphetamine in a car and home appeared in court Monday.

Rick Allen Rochefort, 48, of Delavan and Teresa Ann Hinton, 40, of Elmore were arrested Nov. 4.

According to court documents:

Rochefort's vehicle was stopped on Highway 169 near Blue Earth for an obstructed plate. Hinton had been driving Rochefort's car. Human Services of Faribault and Martin Counties had received reports that Hinton was using meth.

Following a search warrant, officers reportedly found a pink substance and several containers in the vehicle. They contained anhydrous ammonia and meth.

Rochefort's home in Blue Earth was searched. Officers found items that are meth precursors, including anhydrous ammonia, lithium strips, ephedrine and other materials.

Rochefort's driver's license was found at the residence, and it listed a residence in Winnebago. Officers searched that home as well and found an active meth lab.

In 1999, a meth lab also had been found at the home, which belonged to Rochefort then. He had been convicted of manufacturing meth.

On Monday, Rochefort appeared before Faribault County Judge Douglas Richards.

County Attorney Brian Roverud gave Rochefort's public defender, Patrick Casey, disclosures such as police reports and interview transcriptions. Roverud advised that a few more may be coming soon.

Casey said a delayed omnibus hearing would be acceptable, because he wanted to give the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension time to send results of the chemical and drug tests taken during the searches.

A hearing for Rochefort was scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Dec. 7.

Rochefort faces three first-degree controlled substance felonies - manufacturing with a prior conviction, with a maximum penalty of 40 years prison and $1 million fine; conspiracy to manufacture with a prior conviction with a maximum penalty of 20 years prison and $500,000 fine; and possession, with a maximum penalty of 30 years prison and $1 million fine.

Hinton also appeared before Richards on Monday.

She has been accepted into a chemical dependency treatment program in St. Peter.

Richards said Hinton is furloughed to the treatment center for chemical dependency treatment, but if she leaves before the program is completed she will be remanded to the custody of the sheriff.