Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

Judge gives gas station owner 2.5 years over synthetic pot

By: Associated Press//March 21, 2019//

Judge gives gas station owner 2.5 years over synthetic pot

By: Associated Press//March 21, 2019//

Listen to this article

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A federal judge has ordered a Madison-area gas station chain owner to spend two-and-a-half years in prison and pay a $1 million fine for selling synthetic marijuana and possessing untaxed chewing tobacco.

U.S. District Judge James Peterson sentenced Farooq Shahzad on Wednesday. Shahzad pleaded guilty in January to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and trafficking in contraband cigarettes.

Shahzad owns and operates Capitol Petroleum LLC. According to prosecutors, Shahzad conspired with other Capitol Petroleum employees to distribute synthetic marijuana between July 2105 and May 2016 and continued to sell it even after investigators executed search warrants at two of his stations in 2015.

Prosecutors said he also obtained and sold untaxed chewing tobacco from distributors who weren’t licensed in Wisconsin, avoiding about $52,000 in state sales tax.

Polls

Should Wisconsin Supreme Court rules be amended so attorneys can't appeal license revocation after 5 years?

View Results

Loading ... Loading ...

Legal News

See All Legal News

WLJ People

Sea all WLJ People

Opinion Digests