Winchester Police capped a six-month long investigation this week when they charged a woman and her father with selling synthetic marijuana from their store.
Brooke Schirmer, 20, of Mount Sterling, and her father, 51-year-old Edward J.¿Schirmer of Winchester, were both charged with sale or transfer of a simulated controlled substance when police executed a search warrant at the Black Label Tattoo Shop at 502 W. Lexington Ave.
Winchester Police Sgt. Tom Beall said Brooke Schirmer was listed as the owner of the business on the business license. Edward J. Schirmer, though, was identified on his warrant as the owner of the business.
Beall said detectives began investigating in March while the store was located on U.S. 60 outside the city limits, and continued after it relocated to West Lexington Avenue a couple of months ago. Officers made several purchases of the suspected synthetic drugs during that time.
“We’d bought off both of them,” Beall said.
According to court documents, detectives bought two bags of synthetic marijuana from Brooke Schirmer on
March 1 for $28, while a confidential informant bought two more bags from Edward Schirmer Monday.
Detectives executed a search warrant Tuesday and confiscated several pounds of suspected synthetic marijuana and other paraphernalia. Prior purchases included pipes used to smoke the material along with other items, he said.
The Schirmers are both charged with misdemeanors. Their court dates have not yet been scheduled.
Contact Fred Petke at fpetke@winchestersun.com.
