SUWANNEE COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) - A Live Oak man has been arrested after deputies discovered he was producing pounds of synthetic marijuana, or spice, inside his home.
Ashton Keith Artman was arrested by the Suwannee County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday.
On Tuesday, the Suwannee County Sheriff's Office searched a home in the 500 block of Duval Street in Live Oak as part of an ongoing drug investigation.
Inside, they found a synthetic cannabinoid lab as well as several pounds of synthetic drugs.
In total, they found six and a half pounds of synthetic cannabinoids (spice), 2.2 pounds of synthetic narcotics (n-ethylpentylone), 64 grams of cannabis, drug paraphernalia, and four loaded firearms in close proximity to the manufacturing process and drugs.
N-ethylpentylone is a drug that's often misrepresented as MDMA or molly. According to the DEA, N-ethylpentylone is a synthetic cathinone, or "bath salts" derivative that is classified as a schedule I controlled substance analogue.
Artman was charged for trafficking in phenethylamines, trafficking in synthetic cannabinoids, possession of marijuana more than 20 grams, possession of a firearm during commission of a felony, and possession of paraphernalia.
Other powdered substances were located in the home and will be sent to the lab for testing and identification, which could lead to additional charges.
