The Justice Department issued the following statement.
A former Biloxi City Councilman was sentenced to 72 months in prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a Schedule I controlled substance.
According to court documents and information presented to the court, in 2019, Robert Leon Deming, III, 47, founded the Candy Shop, LLC to operate Candy Shop stores in Mississippi and North Carolina. The Candy Shop stores sold CBD and vape products.
In 2020, the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics and Drug Enforcement Administration began investigating the Candy Shop. The investigation revealed that some of the vape products sold by the Candy Shops in Mississippi contained Schedule I controlled substances and controlled substance analogues. In 2022, the DEA also received complaints that some of the products at the Candy Shops were making customers ill.
During the investigation, law enforcement agents seized over $1.8 million in cash from Deming’s residence and additional cash and controlled substances from his stores. Agents learned that Deming was aware that his vape additives did not contain CBD; rather, they contained synthetic cannabinoids. This was evidenced by group chats in which Deming’s employees complained about how the additives were too strong and could hurt their customers. Despite this fact, Deming misbranded the additives as containing CBD.
In addition, through the course of the investigation, agents were able to determine that in May of 2022, Deming sent an uncharged coconspirator $2,200.00 to purchase 1 kilogram of 5F-AB-PINACA, a Schedule I controlled substance, for use in the Candy Shop’s vape additives and that, at the time Deming sent the money, he knew that 5F-AB-PINACA was a controlled substance. The investigation also revealed that Deming’s gross sales of vape additive products containing either Schedule I controlled substances or their analogues totaled over $2 million.
Deming was indicted by a federal grand jury on September 19, 2023, and he pled guilty on May 1, 2024. As part of the resolution in this case, Deming agreed to forfeit a yellow Monster Truck with oversized tires and a lift kit and over $1.9 million dollars.
“U.S. consumers are put at risk when labeling is false and misleading,” said Special Agent in Charge Justin Fielder, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, Miami Field Office. “Labeling is designed to provide information that can help consumers make informed choices about what they purchase and consume. The FDA is committed to pursuing and bringing to justice those who unlawfully mask controlled substances as known consumer products to be sold to the American public.”
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee, Assistant Special Agent in Charge Anessa Daniels McCaw of the Drug Enforcement Administration and Special Agent in Charge Justin Fielder of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations Miami Field Office made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan Buckner and Lee Smith.
10 comments:
That didn't work out very well.
I'd like to bid on that Monster Truck- can anyone post pics?
between fake fish a t mary mahoneys and fake cbd at the candy store, my GAWD..... whats the world coming to?
Sounds like he was just stupid and greedy. Delta8 and Delta10 THC products derived from hemp are legal in Mississippi and there are plenty of reputable sources. People are willing to pay more for these products because they are convenient and provide a pleasant experience. All he had to do was follow the rules for another 5 years while Mississippi joins the list of states decriminalizing Delta9 THC.
he came out of politics and started dealing drugs.........................................his job description didn't change much.
if the fed seized almost 2 million in cash and a 1.5 mill yellow truck this tight pants wearing pretty boy was using his ''candy'' stores as a front to move some serious weight in narcotics. and i aint talking cbd.
riding around in you 1.8 million dollar yellow monster truck didn't help things either. he just had to show his ass. his hot little brunette babe who is ''standing by her man'' is now out of a job.
the second the cell door slams shut he will be filling a post conviction relief petition in federal court alleging that his lawyers screwed up his defense and its all their fault.
with the exception of the fish and one gulf coast media outlet , this was kept very quiet. maybe the feds playbook is now being applied to the likes of jodie owens, chocked lumumbi, and sheriff brian bailey .
yet another one of the thousands of times the feds have had to come to mississippi to flush the toilet ,yet again.
He only resigned when he got pinched.
The word on the coast is that when he was running against Palazzo, he turned the feds on to Palazzo’s questionable campaign finance practices, Palazzo’s revenge was turning the feds into this. Palazzo won this one.
Fun fact, when he was in his 20’s, he was an aspiring white rapper going by “Reign.” Even had a music video on late night BET. Supposedly spent a bunch of money to scrub the internet of the existence of Reign
The common denominator in at least two recent brushes with the law by professionals is...A big-ass yellow truck with oversized tires.
Looking for the legislature to do something about this by appointing a committee to research just what type of people are purchasing big-ass yellow pickup trucks and for what purposes.
Anybody driving a big-ass yellow truck needs to be watched real close. If you see something, say something.
12:40 pm - maybe your only source of 'news' is listening to Clay and Kim but lets admit it, other than statewide issues in the morning, everything else you hear there deals with issues in the Capitol City (and the Lord knows we have plenty there to talk about) but there are many here in the metro that have been watching this little adventure in the world of hemp on the coast for quite some time - including the special election underway to fill his vacant seat that will be like that of former Councilwoman Lee, only good for eight or so months.
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