Hemp Farmer Sues State Officials Over Destroyed Crop, Cites Civil Rights Violations

Federal Lawsuit Targets Top South Carolina Officials

HARLEYVILLE, S.C. — A Dorchester County hemp farmer is suing South Carolina officials in federal court, claiming his civil rights were violated during a 2019 criminal case that ended with the destruction of his crop and the dismissal of charges.

John Trenton Pendarvis filed the lawsuit on July 28 in the U.S. District Court in Charleston. He accuses South Carolina Agriculture Commissioner Hugh Weathers, State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) Chief Mark Keel, and unnamed officers under Keel’s direction of knowingly depriving him of due process.

Crop Uprooted, Charges Dropped

The dispute began in 2019 when Pendarvis was arrested under the Hemp Farming Act, which allowed licensed cultivation of hemp in South Carolina. Authorities said he planted his crop in the wrong location. At the time, the law was still new, and according to the lawsuit, did not yet define penalties or enforcement procedures for such violations.

SLED officers destroyed Pendarvis’ 10-acre crop. The charges against him were later dismissed, nearly three years ago.

In the time since, Pendarvis has pursued legal action in both state and federal courts, arguing the agencies acted outside legal authority when pursuing him. He says his arrest and the crop destruction were based on regulations that were not finalized and that his due process rights were ignored.

Emails and Depositions Come to Light

The latest lawsuit is Pendarvis’ second attempt to sue over the matter in federal court. His legal team says the new filing includes key discoveries from related state cases, including depositions and unredacted internal emails from SLED agents. The suit claims these show that the Department of Agriculture and SLED misled investigators and conspired to present “incomplete, inaccurate, and misleading information” in order to justify the destruction of Pendarvis’ crop.

A previous federal case was dismissed last summer due to insufficient evidence. This time, the farmer’s attorneys say the new materials strengthen claims that officials acted intentionally and maliciously. The new suit seeks a jury trial and punitive damages for what Pendarvis describes as financial losses, emotional distress, and public humiliation.

Legal Wrangling Across Multiple Counties

Multiple related state cases are still active. A Dorchester County case may go to trial later this summer, while another is under appeal in Marion County. Last year, a circuit court judge ordered SLED Chief Mark Keel to pay over $11,000 in attorneys' fees to Pendarvis after ruling the agency had engaged in “dilatory, prejudicial, willful, intentional and in bad faith” conduct during discovery.

State Officials Silent Amid Legal Fallout

The South Carolina Department of Agriculture declined to comment, citing ongoing litigation. SLED did not respond to a request for comment as of July 30. Patrick McLaughlin, one of Pendarvis’ attorneys, declined to comment on the record. State Sen. Brad Hutto, who is also representing Pendarvis, did not respond to an emailed request for comment.