Biloxi Councilman Pleads Guilty to Vape Shop Drug Conspiracy

Gulfport, MS – Robert Leon Deming, III, 47, a Biloxi city councilman, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a Schedule I controlled substance.

Deming, who founded the Candy Shop, LLC in 2019, admitted to running a business that distributed millions of dollars in illegal controlled substances through his vape shops in Mississippi and North Carolina.

According to court documents, Deming’s Candy Shop stores sold CBD and vape products, but some of the vape products contained Schedule I controlled substances and controlled substance analogues. The investigation, led by the DEA, FDA, and MBN, revealed that Deming was aware that his vape additives did not contain CBD, but rather synthetic cannabinoids.

Agents seized over $1.8 million in cash from Deming’s residence and additional cash and controlled substances from his stores during the execution of search warrants in January 2023. Deming also sent an uncharged coconspirator $2,200 to purchase 1 kilogram of 5F-AB-PINACA, a Schedule I controlled substance, for use in the Candy Shop’s vape additives.

Deming’s gross sales of vape additive products containing either Schedule I controlled substances or their analogues totaled over $2 million. He was indicted by a federal grand jury on September 19, 2023.

Deming’s guilty plea has been met with criticism from federal authorities, who say that a public official’s side job should not be running a business that distributes millions of dollars in illegal controlled substances and endangers the health and safety of its customers.

Deming agreed to forfeit a yellow Monster Truck with oversized tires and a lift kit and over $1.9 million dollars as part of the plea agreement. His sentencing is scheduled for August 13, 2024.