Mason County Couple Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Charges
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Eugene ‘Gene’ Asbury, 69, and Natasha ‘Tess’ Clonch, 32, both of Gallipolis Ferry, pleaded guilty today to federal drug charges in a Huntington courtroom.
Asbury and Clonch, the owners of The Scent Shop, a store they operated on Huntington Road in Mason County, admitted to selling $1.6 million worth of synthetic cannabinoids, also known as ‘Spice’ and ‘Potpourri,’ from their store between 2013 and February 2015.
The synthetic cannabinoids contained controlled substances and controlled substance analogues, and were packaged under a variety of trade names, including Scooby Snax, Heaven’s Grass, Get Real, Black Diamond, Mr. Nice Guy, and Mad Hatter.
Asbury and Clonch further admitted to laundering the proceeds of the sales by using cash or money orders to purchase additional synthetic cannabinoids, as well as vehicles and real property.
Under the terms of the plea agreement, Asbury and Clonch agreed to the forfeiture of $1.6 million in assets obtained by the sale of synthetic cannabinoids, including more than $189,000, a 2015 GMC Yukon, a 1952 Oldsmobile, a fully-restored 1959 Chevrolet Bel Air, and real property located in Glenwood, West Virginia.
Asbury and Clonch each face up to 20 years in federal prison when they are sentenced on November 27, 2017.
The investigation was conducted by the West Virginia State Police and the United States Postal Inspection Service.
Key Facts
- State: West Virginia
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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