Hemp farm volunteer accused in SC marijuana case says the crop wasn’t illegal
A volunteer at a South Carolina hemp farm is accused of distributing marijuana in a church parking lot — but she says nothing illegal was grown.
Neysa Caron said she and fellow Killer Watts Farm volunteer Shawn Crawford delivered hemp on three separate occasions to a customer who turned out to be an undercover agent, according to a post shared Monday on Facebook.
The S.C. Law Enforcement Division said the substance exchanged in fall 2020 was actually marijuana. Caron and Crawford are accused of conspiring to distribute the illegal drug outside a church in Clemson, a college town roughly 30 miles southwest of Greenville.
Arrest warrants for Caron list two counts for a first offense of manufacturing or possession of substances with intent to distribute. Warrants for Crawford list three counts for the same offense.
The two volunteers were taken to the Pickens County jail after state officials served them with the felony drug warrants last week, according to the post on the Killer Watts Farm Facebook page.
“We want our friends, family, and community to rest assured we are a HEMP FARM and have not and will NEVER buy, sell, or grow Marijuana or any other illegal substance,” the online post said.
After the arrest, Caron wrote that she lost her job and shared her background working in law enforcement. She described Crawford as a “decorated combat Veteran” who stopped using alcohol to cope with post-traumatic stress disorder after trying hemp.
“I am passionate about hemp because I’ve seen firsthand what narcotics, alcohol, and pharmaceuticals can do to a community,” Caron wrote. “As soon as I saw the powerful impact hemp can have in fighting addiction, it became my passion.”
Hemp versus marijuana
Hemp can be used to make rope, clothes, paper and other materials. Killer Watts Farm said the crop is high in CBD (cannabidiol), an ingredient that experts say may help with pain, anxiety and addiction, though more research is needed.
So, how is it different from marijuana?
“Hemp and marijuana come from the same plant species, Cannabis sativa, but they differ in concentrations of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol),” the S.C. Department of Agriculture said on its website. “THC levels determine whether the substance is considered an agricultural product or a regulated drug.”
THC is the chemical behind many of the psychological effects of marijuana, and a plant is viewed as marijuana in South Carolina if its levels are higher than “0.3 percent on a dried weight basis,” according to officials.
Arrest warrants for Caron and Crawford don’t list a THC concentration for the substance they were accused of conspiring to distribute. However, the documents say a forensic lab test confirmed the substance tested positive for marijuana.
A SLED spokesperson declined to answer further questions on Wednesday, citing an ongoing case.
A Killer Watts Farm representative also declined McClatchy News’ request for comment at the advice of attorneys.
“Killer Watts Hemp Farm will continue to do the right thing, follow all state and federal guidelines, support our community, and support Law Enforcement,” Caron wrote in her Facebook post.
This story was originally published April 30, 2021 at 11:21 AM with the headline "Hemp farm volunteer accused in SC marijuana case says the crop wasn’t illegal."
