Ten years for honey oil

Former local Brandon Qassem, 32, was recently sentenced for crimes related to a cannabis honey oil lab explosion at a Thermalito home.

The accident occurred in November 2014, when, during the process of making honey oil—an ultra-potent form of hash—butane vapor exploded and knocked the house off its foundation, according to a press release from Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey. Qassem’s 13- and 15-year-old nephews both suffered third-degree burns and underwent multiple surgeries and skin grafts at Shriners Hospitals for Children in Sacramento.

Qassem was sentenced to more than 10 years in state prison on Feb. 4 for three felonies, including child endangerment. His wife, Angela, was convicted of felony child endangerment for stashing the cannabis oil in a stroller inside the home, within reach of her 1-year-old child.