Rose McGowan Speaks out About Felony Cocaine Charge

Rose McGowan was arrested in relation to a warrant for felony possession of a controlled substance on Tuesday after she turned herself in and was booked before being released on a $5,000 bond. The actress' charges stemmed from a January incident in which an airport employee allegedly found McGowan's wallet with two bags of white powder inside on a United flight. The bags later tested positive for cocaine.

Speaking to the New Yorker's Ronan Farrow, McGowan vowed to fight the charge, explaining that she kept the wallet in her bag, which she allegedly left unattended when she went to the bathroom mid-flight. After exiting the plane, she realized her wallet was gone and filed a lost-luggage claim. As a result, McGowan and her attorney, Jim Hundley, argue that the drugs could have been planted. McGowan also denied using cocaine.

She was contacted by an airport police detective asking her to collect wallet, but she did not meet with him as she feared he was not a real officer. Several months earlier, McGowan had tweeted about being raped by a "studio head" she later confirmed to be Harvey Weinstein, and believed she was being followed by investigators hired by Weinstein. Through a spokesperson, Weinstein has denied all allegations of nonconsensual sex.

A felony warrant was issued for the actress on Feb. 1, and McGowan explained that she had planned to turn herself in but was scared to do so.

"I was going to ASAP," she said, "but then things started to get really weird. I knew I was being followed and that I wasn't safe. I even hired a private investigator to investigate whether the warrant was real."

McGowan will be arraigned on Thursday morning.

"I will clearly plead not guilty," she said.

Photo Credit: Loudoun County Sheriff's Office