PARKERSBURG POLICE CONDUCT RAIDS ON THREE BUSINESSES - Find Evidence Of Synthetic Marijuana

(04/27/2012)

(L-R) Corey Danielle Elizabeth Jones, Craig
Eugene Halfhill, Mitchell Ray Townsend

Yesterday at approximately 1:30 p.m. the Parkersburg Police Department executed Search Warrants on three local businesses simultaneously. All of the businesses have been under investigation by the Detective Bureau for the alleged sale of variations of K2, synthetic marijuana.

One search warrant was executed at Awesome Air (1519 Camden Avenue) in south Parkersburg after detectives used an undercover officer to purchase controlled substances from the business on two occasions within the past month.

Detectives were able to determine through examination by the West Virginia State Police Crime Lab that the items purchased on both occasions were an illegal variation of K2. A search of the business yesterday located over 100 packages of substances that will undergo crime lab evaluation, and a large amount of cash. The owner/operators of Awesome Air, Corey Danielle Elizabeth Jones and Craig Eugene Halfhill, were taken into custody and charged with one felony count of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance each.

A second search warrant was executed at the Modern Adult Book Store (2600 Ohio Avenue) in north Parkersburg. Detectives utilized an undercover police officer to purchase items from the business on two separate occasions within the past month.

The item purchased on the first buy was determined by the West Virginia State Police Crime Lab to be an illegal variation of K2. The item purchased on the second buy is still pending evaluation from the crime lab.

During the search of the business on this day, detectives located and seized a significant amount of packaged substances that will be sent to the crime lab to undergo testing. A substantial amount of cash was also confiscated. No arrests were made from this business with the investigation ongoing.

A third search warrant was executed at M&K Novelties (1900 Murdoch Avenue) in north Parkersburg. Detectives utilized an undercover police officer to make two purchases of a controlled substance within the past month.

The crime lab determined that both of the substances purchased by detectives were an illegal variation of K2. Upon the search of the business, detectives located several hundred packages of substances that have previously been identified by the crime lab as being an illegal variation of K2, and a substantial amount of other items that will be submitted for testing.

Also seized were hundreds of containers of a white powdery substance that will be sent to the crime lab for testing and a large amount of cash. Detectives arrested Mitchell Ray Townsend, the owner of the business, and charged him with one felony count of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance. Detectives suspect that the substances located at the business were the motive for the April 17th robbery involving David Jeffrey.

The investigation will continue with a massive amount of evidence inventory still underway which is expected to continue well into Friday. Additional arrests are likely.

The Parkersburg Police S.W.A.T. team and the Parkersburg Narcotics Task Force assisted in the operations. Wood County Prosecutor Jason Wharton was also on scene to assist.

All three suspects were awaiting an appearance in Wood County Magistrate Court.