SC man wanted on a weapon charge when deputies found his psychedelic farm, police say
While deputies searched for Justin Kyle Davidson they stumbled upon his talent for indoor cultivation.
Davidson, 25, was wanted on a weapon charge by Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office, the agency said on Friday. When investigators went to look for him at his home they found plastic containers under bright lights filled with dirt, according to pictures from the sheriff’s office. Inside the containers scores of brown capped mushrooms grew.
Investigators turned the mushrooms over to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division for testing.
The fungi weren’t the kind for a quiche.
Authorities confirmed that the spores were Psilocybin Mushrooms, a psychoactive strain of the vegetation that’s also a schedule I controlled substance.
The mushrooms, when ingested, cause mind-altering effect like LSD, mescaline or hallucinogenics.
Police also found a food dehydrator and dried mushrooms in Davidson’s home, pictures showed.
Having gotten out of jail on bond for his earlier weapon charge, deputies arrested Davidson again and charged him with growing the drug-laced mushrooms and possession with the intent to distribute on Friday.
“Your KCSO Drug Enforcement Unit doesn’t discriminate against any type of illegal drug,” the agency posted about Davidson’s arrest, as well as writing, “JUST SAY NO TO CERTAIN MUSHROOMS.”
Court and jail records show that a judge let Davidson out on bond while he awaits trial.
A judge could sentence Davidson to 30 years in prison, a fine of $50,000 or both for the possession charge. He’ll be required to do five year’s in prison if found guilty. The harshness of his possible punishment is because the charge is Davidson’s second possession offense, according to court records.
Four years ago, Davidson got off with a lighter sentence.
Legal records show that police arrested and charged the Kershaw man with possession of drugs in 2015. He pleaded guilty in December of that year. A judge punished him with 20 days of weekend litter clean up, records say.
This story was originally published February 23, 2019 at 3:31 PM.