Crime & Safety
Feds Charge New Lenox Father & Son With Running $2M Synthetic Pot Biz
The father-son team ran a mail order synthetic marijuana business, according to federal authorities.
A father and son from New Lenox were charged with running a $2 million mail order synthetic marijuana business.
James Matthew Bolin, 49, and his son, 31-year-old Jimmy Bolin, were indicted by a federal grand jury Thursday. They were charged with "multiple offenses relating to misbranding and trafficking drugs," according to a statement released by the U.S. Attorney's Office. James Matthew Bolin also faces seven counts of money laundering.
"The Bolins bought and sold products that they and their suppliers―located in California, Florida, and New York―falsely referred to as 'incense,' 'herbal incense,' 'herbal potpourri,' and other misleading names, but, in fact, the drugs were falsely labeled, indicating they were not intended for human consumption when they actually were," the U.S. Attorney's statement said. "The packages also failed to bear labels identifying the name and quantity of active ingredients, as well as the name and location of the manufacturer, packer, or distributor, the indictment alleges."
According to Thursday's indictment, The Bolins bought, marketed and sold products identified as G-20 Herbal Potpourri, Joker Herbal Potpourri, Caution Blitzen Herbal Potpourri, Kronik Kryponite Herbal Potpourri, AK-47 24 Karat Gold Potpourri, ZenBio Sonic Zero Cherry, ZenBio Sonic Zero Blueberry, Hip Hop, Darkness Prince, Out World, Cherry Bomb, Caution Platinum Super Strong Incense, Caution Silver Super Strong Incense, Diablo Botanical Incense, Bizarro, Smoking Santa, Mr. Happy and OMG Next Generation.
The Bolin's synthetic marijuana enterprise allegedly ran from January 2010 through June 2013 and netted them about $2 million.
The Bolins went out of business when federal agents raided James Matthew Bolin's former home in Manhattan and "seized hundreds of packages of allegedly illegal synthetic cannabinoids, or a version of the psychoactive component of marijuana, as well as $165,247," according to the U.S. Attorney's statement.
The defunct distribution operation was known variously as Herbal City, H City, Shop HC, and Show Off City, according to the statement, which said the Bolins "allegedly advertised the sale of misbranded drugs online and created videos to promote human consumption of their products."
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