CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. (WKBW) — A Cheektowaga store owner accused of gifting cannabis with sticker purchase was arraigned Monday in Cheektowaga Town Court.
The Erie County District Attorney's Office announced 29-year-old David A. Zale, Jr. of the Town of Lancaster was arraigned in Cheektowaga Town Court on one count of criminal possession of cannabis in the first degree, one count of criminal possession of cannabis in the second degree and one count of criminal possession of a forged instrument in the second degree.
The district attorney's office said police executed a search warrant at Zale's business "Shake N' Daze Green Vision Wellness" on French Road on February 4 and allegedly recovered approximately 15 pounds of cannabis, more than two pounds of concentrated cannabis and products that allegedly had fraudulent medical cannabis labels.
Police told 7 News in February that the search warrant was executed after an undercover detective managed to acquire cannabis products by buying a sticker and being gifted those products in return.
"Society doesn't accept this. This isn't a safe way to sell a drug, and it shouldn't be going on, so we're going to try and stop it," said Cheektowaga Police Chief Brian Gould in a February interview with 7 News.
According to the district attorney's office, Zale also appeared in court on a pending domestic violence-related matter. He is accused of breaking a flower pot inside of the victim’s apartment during a domestic dispute. He faces one count of criminal mischief in the fourth degree.
He is scheduled to return on both cases on May 6 and was released on his own recognizance as the charges are non-qualifying offenses for bail. If convicted of all charges, he faces a maximum of seven years in prison.
