ATLANTA, GA — In case you missed it, earlier this week Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler J Harper announced that officers with the Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) Law Enforcement (LE) Division arrested four suspects in a multimillion-dollar, interstate hemp oil theft case. After being alerted to the theft of 3,000 liters of CBD distillate from the 2nd Century Ag warehouse in Irwin County by the Ocilla Police Department in January 2025, GDA Officers launched an extensive investigation. During the course of the investigation, GDA officers coordinated closely with the Texas Rangers and Texas Department of Public Safety to apprehend the suspects in Texas and extradite them to Georgia. All four suspects have been charged with felonies and are awaiting trial.
“I am incredibly proud of the work our officers did to ensure the perpetrators of this crime face swift justice, and we’re especially grateful to the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Texas Rangers, and the Irwin County Sheriff’s Office for their vital assistance on this case,” said Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler J Harper. “In Georgia we are sending a clear message, if you attempt to use agriculture as a cover for criminal activity – we will catch you and you will go to prison.”
While GDA has not been able to independently confirm, this case is likely one of the largest Hemp theft cases on record.
Case Narrative:
In January 2025, the Georgia Department of Agriculture Law Enforcement Division was contacted by the Ocilla Police Department that a major theft had occurred at Second Century Ag, a commercial hemp processor, located in Irwin County, Georgia.
Upon arrival, GDA Officers were informed that approximately 3,000 liters of CBD distillate had been stolen from their warehouse. The stolen product, a viscous liquid extract derived from the hemp plant through distillation, was reported to have an estimated value of $3,600,000.
During the investigation, it was determined that a U-Haul vehicle was used in the commission of the crime. Records revealed the truck had been rented in Atlanta, Georgia, and further investigation linked the U-Haul vehicle with two individuals residing in Houston, Texas.
Subsequent investigation identified the two suspects:
- Maurice Cornelius Williams – B/M, 41 years of age.
- Deandre Meshack – B/M, 24 years of age.
The suspects traveled from Houston, TX, to Georgia and unlawfully entered the Second Century Ag processing facility. The suspects loaded the stolen CBD distillate into the U-Haul truck and transported the product to another county where the substance was transferred to another truck.
Coordination between GDA Officers and the Texas Rangers as well as the Texas Department of Public Safety led to the swift apprehension of Williams and Meshack. Both suspects were extradited to Georgia by the Irwin County Sheriff’s Office and charged with charged with Second Degree Burglary (Felony) under O.C.G.A. §16-7-1.
Further investigation, including forensic analysis of electronic devices and peer-to-peer money transfer platforms, revealed two additional suspects who were key organizers of the burglary:
- LaShayla Jones, B/F, 31 years of age.
- Aaron Wayne Smith, B/M, 29 years of age.
Both are originally from Memphis, Tennessee, but were found to be residing in Dallas, TX. Through continued collaboration with Texas law enforcement authorities, they were apprehended and extradited to Georgia by the Irwin County Sheriff's Office. Both face multiple felony counts. Aaron Wayne Smith is believed to be the primary orchestrator of this crime.
Irwin County Sheriff’s Office took custody of all four suspects following their extradition to Georgia.
Charging Summary:
Maurice Cornelius William – B/M, 41 years of age of Houston, TX.
- Second Degree Burglary (Felony), O.C.G.A. §16-7-1
Deandre Meshack – B/M, 24 years of age of Houston TX.
- Second Degree Burglary (Felony), O.C.G.A. §16-7-1
LaShayla Jones – B/F, 31 years of age of Dallas, TX (originally Memphis, TN)
- Second Degree Burglary (Felony), O.C.G.A. §16-7-1
- Conspiracy to Commit a Crime (Felony), O.C.G.A. §16-4-8
Aaron Wayne Smith – B/M, 29 years of age of Dallas, TX (originally Memphis, TN)
- Second Degree Burglary (Felony), O.C.G.A. §16-7-1
- Conspiracy to Commit a Crime (Felony), O.C.G.A. §16-4-8
- Use of a Communication Facility in Committing or Facilitating a Drug Transaction, O.C.G.A. §16-13-32.3
- Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute, O.C.G.A. §16-13-30(b)
- Felony Theft by Taking, O.C.G.A. §16-8-2