Two Plead Guilty to Operation of Butane Hash Oil Lab In Kinsley Ave Warehouse
Tuesday, August 29, 2017
Two men pleaded guilty in federal court in Providence to their roles in the operation of a butane hash oil (BHO) manufacturing laboratory inside a former warehouse on Kinsley Avenue in Providence.
Investigators believe that a March 9, 2015, fire started in a room where the BHO lab was located. GoLocalProv was first to report that butane was present in the building.
Christopher White, 51, of Warwick, pleaded guilty to endangering human life while illegally manufacturing a controlled substance.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTGraeme Marshall, 52, of Cranston, pleaded guilty to money laundering.
White and Marshall are scheduled to be sentenced on November 13, 2017.
The Incident
According to court documents and information presented to the court, White and Marshall operated Grosca, LLC, a company that leased the warehouse where White and Marshall operated a business that designed, produced and sold indoor equipment and supplies for indoor marijuana cultivation.
According to court documents, White and Marshall used a portion of the warehouse to operate a BHO lab, which, over a period of approximately two years, was used to manufacture over 1,000 grams of hash oil that was sold for between $15 and $30 per gram. Proceeds from the sale of hash oil were deposited into a Grosca, LLC, bank account, commingled with proceeds from the sale of equipment and other Grosca, LLC ventures.
The transactions were designed to conceal the nature, source, ownership, and control of the proceeds of the hash oil sales.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sandra R. Hebert.
The matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; Drug Enforcement Administration; Providence Police Department; Providence Fire Marshal’s Office; Rhode Island State Police; and the Rhode Island State Fire Marshal’s Office.
Related Slideshow: Providence Crime By the Numbers - 2016
Related Articles
- GoLocalTV: U.S. Attorney Files Federal Criminal Charges Against Butane Hash Oil Producers in RI
- Massive Kinsley Ave Fire is “Setback” for Narragansett Beer’s RI Relocation
- NEW: Confusion Reigns Over Kinsley Ave Fire Investigation
- Does the Kinsley Ave Fire Help or Hurt Marijuana Legalization in RI?
- My Position on Marijuana Legalization Has Evolved, Says Raimondo on GoLocal LIVE
- Mattiello on LIVE: Marijuana Dead, Car Tax Repeal Extended to 6 Years
- Regulate RI Proposes Marijuana Legalization Compromise; Speaker’s Office Says Too Late This Session
- The Battle Over Marijuana Heats Up at RI State House
- ABC6’s “In The Arena” - Battle Over Legalizing Marijuana
- “We’re Confident We Have the Votes” to Legalize Marijuana in RI, Says Moffat
- Marijuana Legalization in Rhode Island Gaining New Detractors, Supporters
- LIVE: Newport’s Florez Talks Marijuana, Economy & More, in Race for Paiva Weed’s Senate Seat
- Regulate RI Calls Marijuana Study Commission “Flawed Delay Tactic,” Members Will Not Participate
- Guest MINDSETTERS™ Sen. Miller & Rep. Slater: RI Should Regulate Marijuana
- Rep. Corvese to File Bill Making Identities of Medical Marijuana Providers Public Info
- Petition to Reclassify Marijuana Denied by US DEA
- Bob Whitcomb’s Digital Diary: Legalizing Marijuana, Green Power, and Howard Johnson
- 11 Massachusetts Physician Groups Oppose Recreational Marijuana
- Massachusetts Votes to Legalize Marijuana
- Legalizing Marijuana is “Throwing Gasoline” on Addiction Fire, Says Former Congressman Kennedy
- New York Man Arrested With Nearly 50 Pounds of Marijuana on Rt 95 in Hopkinton
- Former RI Director of Health Supports Marijuana Legalization, But Opposes Proposed Bill