Hamza Shalash, 22, of Cincinnati owns the Marathon and faces over 40 years in prison if he is found guilty on eight counts of aggravated trafficking in drugs and engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity. Haitham Shalash, 20, also of Cincinnati, faces a potential 37-and-a-half year prison on six charges of aggravated trafficking in drugs and a corrupt activity charge.
Justin Athey, 28 of Lebanon; Fiorinito Marinelli, 57, of Franklin; Mary Coven, 68 of Lebanon and Bridgette Barnes, 44 of Morrow, each face one fourth-degree felony aggravated trafficking in drugs charge. If found guilty they face 18 months in prison.
Fornshell said police began getting complaints about hallucinogenic substances being sold at the Marathon last November. An undercover officer was able to purchase K2/Spice in January, but didn’t know the “code word” to obtain bath salts. He said they also arrested a man on an outstanding warrant who had allegedly purchased K2/Spice with a stolen credit card at the gas station and had the $100 receipt to prove it.
Fornshell said Shalash was allegedly warned repeatedly that selling the substances was illegal, but complaints continued to flow in about the station. Police obtained a search warrant and found 100 containers of K2/Spice in a storeroom and there was more of that drug and bath salts under the counter, behind walls and above the ceiling, according to Fornshell.
Even after the “raid” Fornshell said more complaints were reported. Shalash allegedly changed his sales method. When undercover police came in on two occasions, the clerks, Coven and Barnes, allegedly put the money in a separate bag and directed them to Athey and Marinelli who were hanging out providing the drugs, according to Fornshell.
Fornshell said he could not put a price tag on the amount of drugs they seized or were sold, he said.
“It’s our view that the owner of this Marathon station is using the station as a major front for trafficking these substances...,” he said. “Quite frankly we’re not going to tolerate it anymore.”
Contact this reporter at (513) 696-4525 or dcallahan@coxohio.com.
About the Author