WARREN - A North Bloomfield woman, whose home served as a methamphetamine lab, is expected to be sentenced to at least two years behind bars after pleading guilty Monday to manufacturing illegal drugs.

Gretchen K. Gifford, 36, who lived at 2016 Cook's Lane, pleaded guilty Monday to a second-degree felony charge of illegal manufacturing of drugs and a third-degree felony charge of endangering children.

She remains free on bond while undergoing the pre-sentence investigation ordered by Judge Peter Kontos.

Gifford indicated she will take care of personal matters before the sentencing hearing in about six months, according to assistant prosecutor Charles Morrow.

Gifford's boyfriend, David E. Heath Jr., 31, who had addresses in Andover and Bloomfield, was sentenced last week by Judge W. Wyatt McKay to serve three years in prison after pleading guilty to the same charges as outlined in a plea agreement.

Agents with the Trumbull-Ashtabula Group (TAG) Law Enforcement Task Force staged a raid at the home Feb. 7, 2008, even charging another man with possession of chemicals for the manufacture of drugs as he drove on to the property as agents were wearing protective suits while searching for evidence with the search warrant. He was convicted of a misdemeanor earlier in Newton Falls Municipal Court, according to Morrow.

Agents used a confidential informant to gain the warrant after investigating for several months. Other narcotics officers, including those from Niles and at the state level, also tracked the lab activities, through the purchases of Sudafed an over-the-counter decongestant.

The agents were first concerned that Gifford's two children ages 13 and 8 were contaminated by the chemicals used to make the highly addictive red powder, known as ''Red P'' for red phosphorus and colored by iodine. The two were turned over to relatives after the raid.

The kids and Gifford and Heath underwent decontamination by Trumbull hazardous material team members.

Ashtabula Sheriff's Office Meth Response Team helped in the cleanup and with dismantling the meth operation that can be volatile since explosive ingredients are used in the recipe.

cbobby@tribtoday.com