A 31-year-old man faces felony charges after Michigan State University police found him in possession of chemicals commonly used to produce methamphetamine inside Wells Hall, the campus's largest academic building.

MSU Department of Police and Public Safety officers contacted Xin Tong on the evening of Sunday, April 26, while responding to a trespassing complaint on the building's fifth floor. Tong carried several bags containing substances, including sodium hydroxide pellets, hydrochloric acid, methanol, isopropyl alcohol, acetone, and butane, all of which can be legally purchased online or in stores but are precursors for meth production. A search warrant executed the next morning revealed labeled and unlabeled containers of unknown liquids in the bags.

Tong faces two felony counts: malicious destruction of a building valued over $20,000 and operating or maintaining a methamphetamine lab. The destruction charge stems from damage to flooring, doors, and fixtures inside Wells Hall between April 10 and 26, with repair costs exceeding the threshold. Prosecutors in Ingham County authorized the charges on April 29, and Tong was arraigned that afternoon. He remains jailed on a $500,000 cash or surety bond, with a Department of Homeland Security hold placed on his release unrelated to the MSU probe.

In a clarification on Thursday, MSU police emphasized that investigators did not locate an active methamphetamine lab in the building, despite initial reports. The charges focus on Tong's possession of the chemicals and equipment in his personal property, along with the property damage. Chief Mike Yankowski noted during a press conference that the substances prompted additional safety resources, including the East Lansing Fire Department, Michigan State Police, FBI, and MSU Environmental Health and Safety teams.

Wells Hall shut down on April 27 after reports of property damage and an unidentified chemical prompted evacuation. The closure, initially through Tuesday, extended through today, Friday, May 1, for evidence collection, inspections, cleaning and remediation. MSU rescheduled 469 final exams to other venues, and environmental tests confirmed no risk to the community.

Court records indicate Tong possessed an expired MSU student ID, suggesting he may be a former student, though university officials declined to confirm due to privacy laws. Yankowski stressed the ongoing investigation limits details but affirmed campus safety as the priority. Tong's pretrial hearing is set for May 8.