Local & State Headlines

Woman guilty in drug case

• Margaret Shaw could face up to three years in prison for hindering an investigation into a marijuana grow operation.

J.D. Sumner

MACON — A Florida woman tied to a multi-state marijuana grow operation discovered in Lee and Terrell counties pleaded guilty Thursday to federal obstruction charges.

Margaret Shaw will likely face sentencing sometime within the next 60 days. She could receive up to three years in a federal prison, although officials with the U.S. Attorney’s office speculate that she will not spend that much time in prison.

Shaw was indicted by a federal grand jury for concealing a marijuana grow operation from federal agents.

That operation, nicknamed the “1000 plant conspiracy” by federal prosecutors, used grow houses in three states to manufacture millions of dollars worth of marijuana, according to court documents.

Shaw is one of several co-defendants already indicted in the case, but is one of only a handful that have either admitted their guilt or been convicted.

While Shaw awaits sentencing, at least one of the people prosecutors had indicted as a conspirator has had her charges dropped, according to officials with the U.S. District Court’s Middle District of Georgia.

Charlotte Spencer had been indicted along with Shaw, Trey Fulford, Brian Pellicano and Michael True on charges she hindered the investigation into the grow operation. But in an April order, a federal judge agreed to dismiss the indictment against Spencer, effectively dropping all charges against her.

Weyman Harris, Frank Spring, Michael Suber and Dean Slaymaker have all had federal drug charges lodged against them in connection with the operation.

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