After Judge Trish Rose denied a motion last month to suppress evidence against a Hutchinson man over two search warrants involving a storage shed north of Hutchinson, the defendant in the case entered guilty pleas

Jason Casanova is now guilty of several felony charges associated with an alleged meth lab which was discovered after a search warrant was served on a storage unit at 6210 North Tobacco Road back on August 31, of last year.

He entered a plea Wednesday to conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine, which is a change from the original charge of manufacture of methamphetamine. He also entered pleas to charges of possession of lithium and possession of anhydrous ammonia, both with intent to manufacture, possession of anhydrous ammonia in an unapproved container, possession of drug paraphernalia, theft, and possession of ephedrine.

The first search warrant was for the thought that Casanova may have stashed the gun used to shoot Jennifer Heckel at that location. During the preliminary hearing for murder suspects Billy Craig Jr., and Charles Christopher Logsdon, it came to light that Casanova was told to get rid of the murder weapon after the shooting. While searching for the gun, police then allegedly discovered the items to manufacture methamphetamine and the got a second search warrant on those items.

With the guilty pleas, sentencing in the case is set for May 18, and both sides are recommending 36-months community corrections in this case, however, that doesn’t mean he’ll be released. He apparently has a hold out of Sedgwick County, and still faces a federal indictment on a gun charge.

He’s charged with unlawful possession of a firearm after a felony conviction. The crime is alleged to have occurred on Aug. 1st, of last year. If convicted on the federal charge, Casanova faces a maximum penalty of 10-years in federal prison and a fine up to 250-thousand dollars.