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Lewisburg, Pa. — A tip led police to investigate the Good Habits smoke shop in Lewisburg for illegal marijuana sales.
The investigation led to multiple felony charges for Holly Jean Hower, 36, of New Columbia, and Troy Hampton, 30, of Lewisburg.
In October, Union County District Attorney Brian Kerstetter requested Buffalo Valley Regional Police Department investigate the shop after he received a tip from Bucknell University Public Safety. A university student had told public safety of the illegal sales of marijuana and spice at the smoke shop.
Here’s what happened according to Detective Gary V. Heckman of Buffalo Valley Regional Police:
During an interview with investigators, the student alleged that numerous Bucknell students went to Good Habits to illegally purchase marijuana. The student told police that customers could come in an ask for THC-A and the employee would give them marijuana.
The student claimed they had purchased marijuana from the store 12 times in the past year, with the last occasion being in September when they obtained 3.5 grams of marijuana for $45. The marijuana was sold in pre-rolls or loose and was placed in a small plain paper bag.
The employee allegedly did not ask questions or require identification when handling the sale, according to the student’s account. The student mentioned that they heard of the sales through word-of-mouth on the university campus.
The student agreed to be a confidential informant and Heckman set them up for a controlled buy on Oct. 25. The student went into the store and asked for THC-A and purchased marijuana for $40 from a female employee. That employee later was identified as Hower. As Hower rang up the informant, she asked them if they were a Bucknell student to which they replied, “yes.”
The student walked out with a paper bag that contained a multi-colored foil type packet with the words “Candy Runtz” on it. The lower right corner of the packet had a small triangle with a marijuana leaf with an exclamation point and “CA” printed under the triangle. Heckman assumed it stood for California. The back of the packet had a printed government warning stating, “This product contains cannabis, a schedule I controlled substance.”
Heckman set up additional controlled buys on Nov. 7 and Dec. 12 in which the informant purchased additional quantities of marijuana.
Police obtained a search warrant for the store on Dec. 12 and encountered Hampton working at the store. Hampton told them he was not aware of illegal substances in the store.
Police were able to seize items in the store, including marijuana in a container they found behind a glass display case. When Heckman told Hampton the substance inside the container tested positive for marijuana, he replied, “I wouldn’t know, I never tested it” and added, “I don’t smoke anymore.”
Items were sent to a crime lab in Harrisburg and results came up positive for marijuana, delta-8 THC, delta-9 THC, delta-6a, and delta-10a THC. All delta-9 products had a concentration greater than .3% which is illegal in Pennsylvania.
Hower was charged with felony counts each of possession with intent to deliver and misdemeanors of possession of a controlled substance. Hampton was charged with four felony counts, including two counts of possession with intent to deliver and two counts of delivery of a controlled substance. Both were arraigned by District Judge Jeffrey A. Rowe who set bail at $20,000 unsecured for Hower and $10,000 unsecured for Hampton. Both have preliminary hearings at Rowe’s office on April 3.
”}]] Lewisburg, Pa. — A tip led police to investigate the Good Habits smoke shop in Lewisburg for illegal marijuana sales. Read More
