IRON MOUNTAIN – A Kingsford man accused of operating a methamphetamine lab in an Iron Mountain apartment has entered not guilty pleas to his charges.

Dennis Schuirmann, 41, was in Dickinson County Circuit Court for an arraignment on felony counts of delivery or manufacture of methamphetamine, operating a methamphetamine lab, and possession of methamphetamine.

Judge Mary B. Barglind accepted his not guilty pleas and scheduled a pre-trial conference in the matter for Nov. 17.

If convicted, Schuirmann could spend up to 50 years in prison.

Schuirmann’s co-defendant in the case, 32-year-old Anita Lindlbauer of Iron Mountain, will next appear in court on Nov. 17 for an arraignment in front of Judge Richard Celello.

The charges against both defendants stem from an Oct. 2 incident in Iron Mountain.

Acting on a tip, Iron Mountain Police Department officers responded to an apartment building located at 501 Pewabic Street to investigate a suspected methamphetamine lab. They found and seized various ingredients used to manufacture methamphetamine, as well as suspected finished methamphetamine.

The criminal complaint states that Lindlbauer lived in the apartment and allegedly admitted that she knowingly supplied materials for the manufacture of methamphetamine. Schuirmann allegedly admitted that he had been manufacturing methamphetamine in the apartment, and that the finished methamphetamine, chemicals, and equipment belonged to him.

Nikki Younk’s e-mail address is nyounk@ironmountaindailynews.com.