VACAVILLE, CA (KMAX/KOVR/CNN/) - School crossing signs are posted at the intersection where federal prosecutors allege a retail store owner targeted high school students for drug sales.
Police took a photo of arrested owner, Maurice Jefferson, and a photo of his alleged cocaine and marijuana stash, as well as a firearm.
Once investigators took a close look at the store, Shredders Federation, it was clear to them that the store’s clothing wasn’t what people were buying.
Court documents read, the "claim Jefferson sells $12,000 to $13,000 at Shredders Federation each month is dubious,” and that “little merchandise appeared to move.”
Neighboring business owner Chuck Donaldson has been at the Vacaville strip location for a decade.
“Honest to God, I never saw anybody walk in or out of that store,” Donaldson said. “I never paid attention to that store.”
Now the feds want to prosecute.
“If you are so unfortunate as to be convicted, the sentences can be drastically different,” said attorney Mark Reiche. “There can be a gigantic disparity between the federal sentence that you get for conviction for something like this and the state sentence you would get.”
The alleged drug dealer who set up shop by a school is now facing the full force of federal law. If convicted, Jefferson faces a $20 million fine and up to 60 years in prison.
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