Federal Indictment Charges Man for SK Fire Sparked by Hash Oil Lab

SOUTH KINGSTOWN, RI—To underscore the danger of butane hash oil production, U.S. Attorney Peter Neronha points to the explosions and fire that damaged the house at 214 Hemlock Ave. in South Kingstown and severely burned two men, including one who died from his injuries months later.

Local firefighters responded to the house on July 31 of 2015 and were met with explosions and fire. In the kitchen, authorities found a lab set up to produce the drug along with 72 butane canisters, 9,000 grams of marijuana and 500 grams of butane hash oil, or BHO.

Neronha said Wednesday in prepared remarks that the incident is one of several dangerous fires that put the lives of innocent people, including neighbors and first responders at risk.

At the same time, Neronha announced the filing of federal criminal charges against Dillon Kantlehner, 26, of Providence, who allegedly was operating the lab to produce the drug along with Brett Carrano, 27, of West Warwick, who died three months later.

The charges are the result of a stepped up effort by local, state and federal authorities to crack down on BHO labs that have sprung up in recent years.

"This activity poses an enormous threat to human life. Where BHO manufacturing is going on, no one is safe: not those involved in the illegal operation themselves; not those who happen to be living or visiting nearby; not first responders," Neronha said. "The demand for BHO, whether for purported medical purposes or otherwise, cannot justify its production, given the magnitude of risk. Second, those who continue to engage in the production of BHO, notwithstanding what ought to be abundantly clear by now, will be the strong focus of our collective law enforcement efforts.”

BHO is produced by extracting tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, from marijuana using butane.

Labs have been discovered in cities and towns across Rhode Island, including the lab that sparked the fire on Hemlock Avenue in South Kingstown as well as a massive mill fire on Kinsley Avenue in Providence that put the lives of dozens of firefighters in danger. A wall collapse and roof beam "catapulted through the wall nearly striking apparatus and firefighters," said Providence Public Safety Commissioner Steven M. Paré.

A federal indictment unsealed on Tuesday charged Kantlehner with a count of endangering human life while illegally manufacturing a controlled substance and a federal warrant has been issued for his arrest, Neronha said.

Also facing federal charges is Tyler Crespo, 21, who is accused of running a lab in an apartment on Providence Street in West Warwick where officers found 6,000 grams of BHO and $14,000 cash in addition to a full scale lab.

A federal indictment returned Tuesday charged Crespo with one count of endangering human life while illegally manufacturing a controlled substance and one count of manufacture of a controlled substance.

For the Kinsley Avenue fire, two men face charges: Christopher White, 50, of Warwick; and Graeme Marshall, 50, of Cranston.

Marshall and White allegedly leased the warehouse and bought and sold marijuana cultivation supplies. A portion of the warehouse was set aside for producing BHO, according to an indictment. Over a two year period, they allegedly produced more than 1,000 grams that they sold for $15 to $30 per gram.

A 22-count indictment charged both with nine counts of endangering human life while illegally manufacturing a controlled substance, one count of conspiracy, seven counts of distribution of a controlled substance and five counts of money laundering. White and Marshall today both pleaded innocent at their arraignment before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Patricia A. Sullivan.

Also charged was Scott Slagel, 41, of Westerly, who allegedly was operating a BHO lab in a multi-unit apartment building on Apache Drive in that town. That lab was discovered in yet another fire. He also was charged with endangering human life while illegally manufacturing a controlled substance and is due to be arraigned in U.S. District Court on April 5.