RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA – A man and woman involved in a marijuana honey oil lab that exploded in a Riverside apartment complex pleaded guilty to manufacturing illicit drugs on Wednesday. Lisa Marie Twyman, 44, and Benjamin Andrew Leach, 41, entered separate plea agreements with the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office to admit to the felony charge. Twyman was charged with one count, while prosecutors agreed to drop a charge of recklessly causing a fire in an inhabited structure against Leach.
Superior Court Judge Gail O’Rane oversaw the plea deals and promptly sentenced Twyman to 200 days in a sheriff’s work release program along with 24 months of felony probation. Meanwhile, the sentencing for Leach was postponed to June 4 for undisclosed reasons, with Leach remaining free on a $50,000 bond. Their co-defendant, Cutter James Mendonca, 25, had previously pleaded guilty in March 2021 to possession of controlled substances for sale and being a felon in possession of a firearm, resulting in a 16-month sentence in state prison.
The chain of events unfolded when Riverside police Officer Ryan Railsback responded to reports of an explosion at the defendants’ apartment complex early in the morning on March 1, 2021. The explosion caused significant damage to the building, though firefighters managed to extinguish the flames swiftly. Railsback mentioned that evidence of an illegal honey oil lab was found at the scene, including empty butane canisters, hash oil extract, and marijuana plants. The manufacturing process involving honey oil is known to be highly flammable due to the use of butane gas, making it susceptible to explosions.
Honey oil, also referred to as “wax” or “hash,” is a liquid marijuana derivative commonly produced through the extraction of tincture from cannabis plants using butane stoves. This process can result in dangerous situations, as seen in this instance where several adjoining units were affected, and residents had to be displaced. Twyman was taken into custody after rushing Leach to the hospital for treatment, while Leach sustained severe burn injuries and was transferred to Arrowhead Regional Burn Center for extended care and recovery. Mendonca, on the other hand, was apprehended in the apartment complex parking lot, where officers discovered a concealed firearm and narcotics packaged for sale in his vehicle during a search.
The incidents involving home-based honey oil manufacturing have been a concerning trend in the Inland Empire, leading the District Attorney’s Office to release public service announcements in 2017 to raise awareness about the dangers and consequences associated with such practices. For more information, viewers can access the series at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fSCMCwmlQw.