Washington shop owner pleads guilty
A Washington cigarette shop owner agreed to plead guilty to selling synthetic marijuana and likely will avoid jail, but both he and his business face fines and cash forfeitures of nearly a quarter-million dollars.
Snehal Patel, owner of Cigarette City on Jefferson Avenue, which was raided in July 2012 and found to be selling the illegal synthetics, pleaded guilty Wednesday to possession of a controlled substance and possession with intent to deliver drug paraphernalia in exchange for felony drug charges being withdrawn.
Patel, 39, of 128 Hardwood Drive, Venetia, also acknowledged that his corporation, Snehal and Kailash Inc., illegally sold controlled substances, noncontrolled substances and designer drugs. Washington County Judge Valarie Costanzo sentenced him to six to 23 months on electronic home monitoring with work release, and Patel and his business must pay $236,019 in bank forfeitures, cash seizures and fines.
The charges stem from a raid at the shop July 23, 2012, in which “synthetic cannabinoids” were found at the business. The plea ends “extensive negotiations” as prosecutors tried to figure out how to deal with the synthetic marijuana charges and punish Patel’s business, Washington County District Attorney Eugene Vittone said.
“How do you punish a business?” Vittone said after the plea agreement. “You (garnish) profits from that business.”
Vittone asked that all charges against Patel’s wife, Pratiksha, 34, be withdrawn, a request Costanzo granted.
Pratiksha Patel originally faced felony charges of possession with intent to deliver, conspiracy and distributing a designer drug, among other charges.
“She was more of a minor player in this, and Mr. Patel is taking responsibility for it,” Vittone said.
Vittone said the difficulty of the case was the nature of the drugs, which Patel originally contended he did not know were illegal to sell.
“We had so many, it was like an alphabet soup of (drug) compounds,” Vittone said.
Snehal Patel’s attorney, Steven Toprani, said although his client will pay a hefty price for selling the synthetic marijuana, also known as K2, he will avoid jail time and can continue running the cigarette shop.
“He’ll continue to operate, and that will help him to meet his (financial) obligations,” Toprani said.
Investigators seized $79,292 from Patel’s bank account and $81,727 in cash from his business. He also faces a $25,000 fine for his part, and his business was fined $50,000.