Feds want to seize NH "Goodtimes" smoke shops

[KBCraig]

http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=Feds+say+smokeshop+owner+should+forfeit+his+property&articleId=6e623380-253b-40e0-8e73-56d71847a03f

Feds say smokeshop owner should forfeit his property

By GARRY RAYNO
New Hampshire Union Leader Staff

CONCORD – Federal law enforcement officials want to seize the home, bank accounts and automobile of the owner of three smoke shops in Manchester, Nashua and Salem.

The U.S. Attorney's Office's civil division alleges the three Goodtimes Smokeshop & Emporium stores sold illegal drug paraphernalia and the owner illegally laundered money from the sales by purchasing a new Nissan Quest and a residence at 12 Spruce Court in Hooksett.

In a complaint for forfeiture dated Oct. 3 and filed in U.S. District Court in Concord, the attorney's office lists items seized in raids Feb. 23 on the stores by the Drug Enforcement Administration as well as $2,061 in cash seized at the Salem store.

Among the items confiscated as drug paraphernalia were numerous pipes, bongs, grinders, scales and false-bottom cans.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Rabuck said a filing period is currently in effect for anyone with a claim on the property belonging to Shea Beaumont and in the case of the residence, Michelle Bennett as well. If a claim is filed, an answer has to be filed within the next 20 days.

The filing would trigger scheduling a court proceeding with a trial held in 12 to 14 months, Rabuck said.

The DEA began investigating the stores and their owner, Beaumont, in 2005 after entering the Salem store and observing "numerous glass and electric pipes and electric scales" for sale but no tobacco products, according to the complaint.

Similar observations was made by agents at the same store and at the Manchester and Nashua stores on Feb. 21 of this year.

According to the complaint, "only products that were primarily intended or designed for use in injecting, ingesting, inhaling, or otherwise introducing marijuana and other controlled substances into the human body" were for sale in the three stores.

In 2005, federal agents tracked Beaumont's personal and business bank accounts with Citizens and Wachovia banks. According to the agents, money from the sale of the drug paraphernalia was traced to the purchase of the car and the residence Beaumont shared with Bennett.

According to court records, more than $20,000 in cash was seized from two of Beaumont's Citizens Band accounts on Oct. 26 and the automobile was seized on Nov. 1.

The complaint states the residence does not have to be seized at this time, but the property needs to be entered to conduct an inventory and an appraisal before it is seized.

Rabuck said the property has recently been sold and the proceeds of the sale have been substituted for the property of the defendant. "As a rule, we don't seize real estate in a complaint of forfeiture," he said.

Attempts yesterday to reach Beaumont and Bennett were unsuccessful. Repeated calls to the Manchester store were answered by a machine.

The telephone at the Salem store had been disconnected as had the phone number listed to Bennett at the 12 Spruce Court, Hooksett address.

Criminal charges may be brought against Beaumont and Bennett as well, but Rabuck said he could not comment on criminal matters.

[Fluff and Stuff]

But all of those items are legal and used for tobacco.

[Ogre]

Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Rabuck said a filing period is currently in effect for anyone with a claim on the property belonging to Shea Beaumont and in the case of the residence, Michelle Bennett as well. If a claim is filed, an answer has to be filed within the next 20 days.

I wonder if every single freedom-lover in NH should file a claim that Shea Beaumont owes them $20 just to screw up the courts and the seizures.  And if anyone actually gets the $20, they can donate it to Shea.   

[Tom Sawyer]

According to the complaint, "only products that were primarily intended or designed for use in injecting, ingesting, inhaling, or otherwise introducing marijuana and other controlled substances into the human body" were for sale in the three stores.

What you want to bet that there weren't any hypodermic needles for sale, probably twisting of terms to attempt to make the sale of pipes more sinister.

[Tom Sawyer]

This a story for the Manchester Free Press...

Criminal charges may be brought against Beaumont and Bennett as well, but Rabuck said he could not comment on criminal matters.

This is an example of the extortion the Feds pull at will on people...
If you attempt to get your assets back they can then threaten you with criminal prosecution. Nice racket they got going here, take everything they own and destroy their lives and the Feds don't even have to prove the case in front of a jury. Fucking thieves. 

[FTL_Ian]

According to the complaint, "only products that were primarily intended or designed for use in injecting, ingesting, inhaling, or otherwise introducing marijuana and other controlled substances into the human body" were for sale in the three stores.

What you want to bet that there weren't any hypodermic needles for sale, probably twisting of terms to attempt to make the sale of pipes more sinister.

Injecting, huh?     I think someone's first time injecting plant matter into their veins might be their last time.

Is the guy who wrote this article really that dense?

[Dave Ridley]

posted comment on the UL site.... hope some of you will too it's very easy.

so, your thoughts,  what can we do to help this guy?

[David]

This a story for the Manchester Free Press...

Criminal charges may be brought against Beaumont and Bennett as well, but Rabuck said he could not comment on criminal matters.

This is an example of the extortion the Feds pull at will on people...
If you attempt to get your assets back they can then threaten you with criminal prosecution. Nice racket they got going here, take everything they own and destroy their lives and the Feds don't even have to prove the case in front of a jury. Fucking thieves. 

I didn't catch that until you pointed it out.   

[Kat Kanning]

posted comment on the UL site.... hope some of you will too it's very easy.

so, your thoughts,  what can we do to help this guy?

A protest outside his business or the gov't office responsible?

[lawyerup]

They have ruined his businesses.  He probably won't be able to pay his help so how will he keep his doors open?

[srqrebel]

posted comment on the UL site.... hope some of you will too it's very easy.

so, your thoughts,  what can we do to help this guy?

A protest outside his business or the gov't office responsible?

http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/nh/

United States Attorney's Office, District of New Hampshire:

US Attorney Thomas P. Colantuono
53 Pleasant Street
Concord, NH 03301
603-225-1552
Sounds like Mr. Colantuono needs a strong dose of cowbell and pitchfork.

[Tom Sawyer]

Wow overwhelming public comdemnation of this in the comments for the article.

[Fragilityh14]

this is why you should always sell some high quality pipe or rolling tobacco at any sort of store like that...just good sense!


the shop I went to in Olympia actually advertised rare herbs, and when you bought bongs...err, tobacco water pipes, worth more than 100 you could get a free sampler thing of a mix of rare herbs (probably like passion flower, valerian, etc) with it...really adds to the legitimacy 

terrible, terrible news, both for the business owner and the patrons...its terrible when such shops get shut down, there used to be 3 within 20 minutes of here and now are zero (though there are two tobacco shops but they are actually you know, only for tobacco and dont have glass pipes)...he really should have had a display of Bali Shag...

poor guy

[J’raxis 270145]

Wow overwhelming public comdemnation of this in the comments for the article.

I wonder if the people posting those comments are noticing how many freestaters are agreeing with them. Especially when I recognize some of those names on the comments as people attacking freestaters in articles about Ed Brown and Lauren Canario.

[error]

People have no idea who's a Free Stater and who isn't, unless you tell them. And they don't pay that close attention to others' comments.