Buffalo, N.Y. -U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Brenda Mansour, 20, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of introducing into interstate commerce a misbranded food before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara. The charge carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a fine of up to $100,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan T. Cullinane, who is handing the case, stated that in May of 2015, New York State Department of Taxation and Finance inspectors encountered the defendant at Mario’s, a store located at 2304 Pine Avenue in Niagara Falls, during a routine inspection of the store’s tobacco and cigarette inventory. The inspectors recovered 331 packages of suspected synthetic cannabinoids, which were labeled either “Geeked Up," “Scooby Snax (Watermelon)," “Scooby Snax (Bluberry)," “Scooby Snax (Green Apple)," “Xtreme Aroma Therapy (Strawberry)," “Xtreme Aroma Therapy (Brandy)," or “Joker." The inspectors turned over the packages to Special Agents from Homeland Security Investigations for further analysis. HSI confirmed that Mansour offered for retail sale packages containing a green vegetable matter laced with chemicals not authorized for human consumption, including AB-FUBINACA and XLR-11, both of which are Schedule I controlled substances. The defendant sold these packages knowing that customers intended to inhale, ingest, or burn the contents contained in the packages.
The plea is the result of an investigation by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Kevin Kelly, and the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, under the direction of Commissioner Jerry Boone.
Sentencing is scheduled for April 4, 2018, at 12:30 p.m. before Judge Arcara.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
