Eau Claire Store Owner in Banbury Place Charged with dealing Marijuana

(CTN News) – The proprietor of a store within Banbury Place is accused of selling marijuana out of his place of business.

Samuel J. Pastorello, 25, 920 Summer St., was discovered selling marijuana products from his company, The Heady Hut, during a sting operation conducted by local law enforcement agencies employing confidential informants.

For supplying marijuana, possessing it to provide it, possessing cocaine, and keeping a site where drugs are trafficked, Pastorello is accused of felonies.

Additionally, he is accused of misdemeanour possession of drug paraphernalia. Pastorello is facing repeat offense charges due to earlier drug case convictions in the county of Eau Claire.

The two crimes connected to the marijuana he had sold to the informants and the quantity of the substance discovered during a search of his business are the most severe allegations.

The charges for each crime stem from being found in possession of between 200 and 1,000 grams.

If found guilty, each of those felonies carries a penalty of up to $10,000 in fines and six years in jail. The court may impose an additional sentence of up to four years in jail for those crimes against Pastorello since he is a repeat offender.

Eau Claire County Judge John Manydeeds established a $5,000 signature bond at Pastorello’s first court appearance on Tuesday morning.

Pastorello’s bail includes requirements such as no interaction with drug users, complete sobriety, and a prohibition against going into bars or other establishments that sell alcohol mainly.

According to the criminal complaint, two informants informed an investigator with the Chippewa County Sheriff’s Office in mid-October that a tobacco store owner in Eau Claire was selling marijuana-related goods to them.

The informants disclosed to the investigator that they had been purchasing raw marijuana and THC wax from the store owner for a few months.

They would visit the store during regular work hours, wait for customers to leave, have the owner lock the door, and then conduct business to purchase the drugs.

The informants remembered purchasing from the business owner up to half a pound of raw marijuana.

On November 10 at the Heady Hut, local law enforcement established a controlled purchase utilizing the informants.

The informants were searched before entering the business, outfitted with recording devices, and handed $1,000 in pre-recorded currency to purchase the narcotics.

After closing the purchase, the informants left with a quarter pound of cannabis and a quarter pound of THC wax.

THC was shown to be present in both of the items. When investigators watched the transaction’s recorded video, they could see that the informants had purchased the narcotics from Pastorello inside The Heady Hut.

The detectives carried out a search warrant at the store on the same day. They discovered 3 THC vape cartridges, 129 grams of THC butter, 248 grams of THC wax, and roughly 866 grams of raw cannabis inside the business.

The cannabis goods were discovered in a box behind the sales counter, a file cabinet, and backpacks.

Pastorello’s pocket and the cash register had US dollars matching the amount handed to the secret spies. Investigators discovered a rolled $1 note with cocaine traces on it on a desk.

Inside the shop, marijuana-tainted drug paraphernalia was also discovered.