Police: Multiple Drugs Found During Paul Cauthen Arrest


This story has been updated.

Paul Cauthen was arrested on Thursday morning, May 18th in Isle of Palms, South Carolina, and charged with possession of a Schedule I controlled substance, as well as manufacturing and possession of controlled substances with the intent to distribute in Schedule I, II, or III.

Though the publicist for Paul Cauthen initially claimed to Saving Country Music that the charges were for marijuana, Cauthen was also charged for the illegal possession of prescription drugs Xanax and Diazepam. Also in the bust, heroin and cocaine were found on Cauthen’s tour bus, though he was not charged for these drugs.

According to the police report from the Isle of Palms Police Department in South Carolina, a patrol officer passed by Paul Cauthen’s silver tour bus as it was illegally parked on the street near Ocean Blvd and Pavilion Dr. Thursday morning. While passing the bus, the officer caught the distinct smell of marijuana and decided to investigate. Two individuals were standing outside of the bus, including Paul Cauthen.

When questioned, Cauthen told the officers that he had approximately 1 ounce of marijuana in a suitcase on the bus. After two more officers arrived, the other individuals inside the bus were ordered to exit, and Cauthen voluntarily handed the police a bag containing marijuana. Police then executed “a probable cause search of the common area of the bus.”

The search yielded three sealed bags of marijuana, a green camouflage handbag that contained a white powdery substance in a small tube, 3 1/2 pink oval pills, 2 pink circular pills, another Ziploc bag of marijuana, as well as a clear plastic bag of a white powdery substance that was located in a silver tin cup in a cup holder on a table, as well as a glass pipe.

Cauthen later confessed to police that the pills were Xanax and Diazepam, and that he did not have a prescription for them. Cauthen also claimed all of the marijuana on the bus as his own. However, neither Cauthen nor anyone else on the bus claimed the white powdery substances.

Tests concluded that the white powdery substance in the tube was presumptive positive for heroin and a cocaine-based narcotic. The white powdery substance in the plastic bag was presumptive positive for cocaine. Some orange gummies were also tested, and came back as positive for THC. The gross weight of all of the marijuana found on the bus was 111.97 grams, or nearly 4 ounces.

Sgt. Matt Storen of the Isle of Palms Police tells Saving Country Music that the weight of the marijuana is why Cauthen was charged with manufacturing and possession of controlled substances with the intent to distribute. The separate possession charge was for the illegal prescription pills.

Cauthen was arrested, and a bond was set at $2,275.00 for the possession charge, and $25,000.00 for the manufacturing and distribution charge. Cauthen posted the $27,275.00 bail, and was released later that day. His first court date is July 7th.

None of the other individuals on the bus were charged with any crime. Though police did not say whether Cauthen or anyone else could face additional charges for the heroin and cocaine, the police report claims these substances were destroyed, while the marijuana and pills were booked into evidence.

Paul Cauthen cancelled his performance Friday night (5-19) in Knoxville, TN at The Concourse, as well as his appearance at Loretta Lynn’s Hurricane Mills Ranch at the Tennessee Motorcycles & Music Revival for Saturday (5-20) after the arrest. Cauthen’s performance on May 18th at Suck Bang Blow in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina was also cancelled, but the venue says weather was a factor in the cancellation.

Paul Cauthen posted on his social media pages on Friday afternoon (5-19), “Sorry folks. Some things have happened and we won’t be making these shows unfortunately. We will go into further detail in time. God bless all of you. Be kind to one another,” but offered no further information, and has not addressed the incident since.

UPDATE: Shortly after this story was posted, Paul Cauthen posted on social media, “I was arrested last week on tour in South Carolina for marijuana possession and want to clear up some of whats being said. I am not a drug dealer and I don’t ‘manufacture’ drugs. The legal process will play out and my side of the story will be told, hell or high water.”

He also released a new single called “Wild Man.”

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