Owner of Higher Education vape stores is facing 160 years in prison for illegally selling weed
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Richmond's Higher Education is at 3424 W. Cary St. Photo: Karri Peifer/Axios
This story has been corrected to reflect that authorities said the drug sales occurred at a former storage facility owned by Dawn Marie Morris (not at her Higher Education vape store).
The owner of a trio of Virginia vape shops is facing up to 160 years in prison after she was convicted of selling drugs at what authorities characterized as an "open drug market" in Louisa County, the Daily Progress reports.
Why it matters: The owner's Higher Education chain includes a store in Carytown.
The big picture: Louisa's Commonwealth's Attorney Rusty McGuire announced Monday that Higher Ed owner Dawn Marie Morris was found guilty of selling marijuana and psychedelic mushrooms at a former storage facility she owned on Courthouse Road in Louisa.
- Morris hosted a weekly pop-up market inside the facility at which various vape and smoking products, plus psychedelic mushrooms and at least 13 strains of weed, were sold, according to the commonwealth's attorney's office.
- Some of those magic mushrooms were purchased at the market by someone from the Louisa County Narcotics Task Force, which triggered an investigation.
Zoom in: The task force later found more than $300,000 worth of weed and mushrooms, plus nearly $100,000 in cash, at Morris' home and the facility when executing search warrants.
- Morris was also found guilty of perjury for applying for an appointed lawyer "by claiming she was poor," the commonwealth's attorney's office said in a statement.
- All signs advertising Higher Education within the county have to be removed as part of the court ruling.
Of note: Virginia became the first Southern state to legalize marijuana possession in 2021, but since has failed to set up a legal retail marketplace for its sale.
- State lawmakers created the framework for one last year, but it was vetoed by Gov. Youngkin.
- Cannabis advocacy groups have argued the state's lack of a legal retail marketplace forces consumers to buy from a flourishing black market.
What they're saying: "We hope this case sends a strong message to drug dealers that if you pedal your poison in Louisa, you will lose your drugs, money and freedom," McGuire said in a statement.
What's next: Morris is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 3.