The second man arrested in connection with a portable meth lab operation, and previously arrested for drugs and check forgery, was sentenced to nearly four years in prison last week.

Matthew Koch, 21, of Austin, was convicted of felony first-degree attempt to manufacture meth. He was also convicted in other cases for fifth-degree drug possession and check forgery.

Another man, Daniel Keith Enfield, 20, of Austin, was previously sentenced to 20 years’ supervised probation for his role in the meth lab.

According to the Mower County court complaint, Austin police received a tip that two men were between Wildwood and Todd Park with a backpack that contained meth-making ingredients and supplies.

An officer found the men near Mill Pond on Main Street, stopped them and searched their backpack at about 1 a.m. Oct. 24, 2012. The officer found drain cleaner, several coffee filters, tinfoil, rubber tubing and lye, lithium batteries, acid, camp fuel, pseudoephedrine and a small plastic bag and straw containing .1 gram of meth.

More officers arrived, arrested both men and placed them in the Mower County Jail.

After an interview, Enfield told authorities the location of more meth-making ingredients in a wooded area between Hormel’s corporate offices and later pointed them to it. Officers also reportedly learned about a meth-making explosion in that area and that Koch may have received burns associated with that incident. Officers took Koch to the hospital in Austin where he was treated for chemical burns and then transported him to jail.