Variety Store Employees Accused Of Stashing Drugs In Wall Safe
Hey Jay’s New & Used, a variety store in Erie, Pennsylvania, captures the mood of a pandemic-weary Pennsylvania as well as anywhere does. If you have time on your hands and limited funds, Hey Jay’s is the place for you. The cash-strapped, restless souls of the world can find furniture, appliances, and tools for do it yourself projects, as well as entertaining trifles and collectibles such as toys and CDs. If what you really need is cash, then you can sell your clutter and let it become someone else’s pandemic project. Of course, weed is lots of people’s pandemic project, and if the allegations are true, there was plenty of that to be found at Hey Jay’s, too, if you knew where to look. Cannabis is a lot more legal in Pennsylvania than it was a few years ago, but it is still possible to get criminal charges for selling cannabis or possessing it in large quantities. If you are facing criminal charges related to cannabis, contact a Pittsburgh marijuana charges lawyer.
Pennsylvania Marijuana Laws
Several counties and municipalities in Pennsylvania have decriminalized cannabis possession, making it a civil offense punishable by fines, much like a traffic violation. At the state level, cannabis possession is a misdemeanor; if the amount is more than 30 grams, the maximum penalty is a year in jail. Charges of possession with intent to deliver apply if police find a large quantity of cannabis in the defendant’s possession, as well as other evidence, such as paraphernalia, that the defendant planned to sell it. One of the most common defenses to charges of possession with intent to deliver is that the police were not within their rights to conduct the search where they found the drugs.
In the News
In January 2022, police executed a search warrant at a Hey Jay’s store in Erie. They obtained the warrant after confidential informants purchased drugs at the store. They found a stash of drugs and drug paraphernalia in a wall safe and in the drawers of a desk. The contraband included marijuana, methamphetamine, THC edibles, THC oil, and THC wax, as well as drug paraphernalia such as sandwich bags and a digital scale. Police then searched the car and purse of Nicole Mennecke, a Hey Jay’s employee, and found more drugs and paraphernalia. They arrested Mennecke and Adam Swift. Mennecke, 41, and Swift, 42, are currently facing felony charges for drug possession with intent to deliver. Like all defendants in criminal cases, Mennecke and Swift have the right to be represented by defense attorneys and are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Contact Gary E. Gerson About Marijuana Crimes Defense
Pennsylvania is not a 420-friendly utopia; it is still possible to go to jail for marijuana offenses. A criminal defense lawyer can help you if you are facing criminal charges for marijuana crimes such as possession with intent to deliver. Contact the law offices of Gary E. Gerson in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania about your case.
Source:
goerie.com/story/news/crime/2022/01/06/erie-pa-drug-cases-pair-charged-after-suspected-drugs-seized-store-adam-swift-nicole-mennecke/9114484002/
