Owner of Kansas Hemp Businesses Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges for Illicit Cannabis Sales 

The owner of a string of hemp retail businesses in Kansas pleaded guilty on Tuesday to federal charges of interstate use of facilities in interstate commerce to aid in a racketeering enterprise and one count of a prohibited person in possession of a firearm, KAKE reports. Justin Lane, owner of High Hopes ICT, pleaded guilty to the charges related to using shipping services, such as FedEx, UPS, and the U.S. Post Office, to ship cannabis and THC products.  

During an initial sting operation, undercover authorities purchased cannabis from High Hopes ICT stores. The products were sent to a lab where they tested positive for THC levels higher than what’s allowed under federal law. During the subsequent law enforcement raids at Lane’s home, officers found about 30 firearms and silencers, along with what the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office described as “a legitimate flamethrower.” The plea deal will see Lane forfeit all of the uncovered weapons to the federal government. 

As part of the plea deal, Lane also agreed to “immediately stop posting, saying and encouraging others to post to say that (he) … did nothing wrong or illegal in the operation of his businesses… because (he) is aware of the federal and state laws controlling the possession and distribution of THC and marijuana products,” according to court records outlined by KAKE.  

Lane faces up to 6-and-a-half years of time in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release under the deal. His sentencing is set for January 5.