Two arrested in raid to appear in court
Published 10:06 am Monday, January 16, 2012
SOUTH POINT — The owner and manager of a novelty store in South Point have court dates scheduled.
Robert Holley, 45, of Rush, Ky., owner of Counter Culture, was arrested Thursday at his store for trafficking in drugs, a fifth degree felony. Holley is charged with allegedly selling synthetic marijuana and other analog compounds at the store in November 2011.
The arrest came during a raid by the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office and the county’s drug task force. Additional items from the store that investigators allege are synthetic compounds were seized and sent for analysis. If those items are determined to be illegal substances, additional charges will be filed against Holley, according to Sheriff Jeff Lawless.
Synthetic marijuana and comparable compounds were deemed illegal substances in October after the passage of Ohio House Bill 64.
The store manager, Josh Tackett, 32, of Olive Hill, was also arrested at the time for tampering with evidence, a third degree felony. During the raid Tackett allegedly attempted to hide materials as investigators were conducting their search.
Both men were taken to Lawrence County Jail. Holley was released on a $15,000 bond Thursday. Tackett was released on a $10,000 bond on Friday.
Holley and Tackett appeared in Lawrence County Municipal Court Friday for arraignments.
Holley will have a pretrial hearing on Jan. 23 at the municipal court. A pretrial hearing is scheduled for Tackett on Friday.