Three Charged in West Ashley Marijuana Grow Operation

A domestic dispute call led Charleston Police to an alleged marijuana growing operation at a West Ashley home Sunday.

Officers responded to 17 Argonne St. around 2:30 p.m. Sunday for a call involving a domestic dispute. When they arrived Heather Ford, 27, answered the door and told them the argument was over and her boyfriend Kamall Simpson, 21, was leaving. She then allowed the officers to enter the home, according to a CPD statement.

Inside the officers spotted 1.5 grams of marijuana in plain sight and detained both Ford and Simspon. They also found Ford's housemate, Corey Gice, 25, behind the house with approximately 10 grams of marijuana in his possession, according to the statement. Officers then executed a search warrant on the home and found 45 marijuana plants growing inside along with 3 pounds of marijuana.

Gice was charged with two counts of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. Ford and Simpson were each charged with a single count of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.

Ford's two children were in the home at the time of the arrests and were taken into the custody of the Department of Social Services.