Couple accused of selling synthetic drugs fail to show up for court

A couple who agreed to plead guilty to selling synthetic marijuana and be arraigned on two new charges didn't show up in federal court Monday.

U.S. Chief Magistrate Jon Scoles ordered that warrants be issued for Mohammad, 36, and Melissa Al Sharairei, 33. Their attorneys and the prosecutor waited about 40 minutes to see if they would show up before proceeding with the hearing.

The Al Sharaireis' attorneys told Scoles they hadn't talked to them since last week. The attorneys said the couple were coming in from Colorado, where they have been living since being charged, but neither had been able to reach them Monday.

The former owners of Puff N Stuff II Tobacco Outlet in Cedar Rapids had each agreed to plead guilty to maintaining a drug premises. They also were going to be arraigned on new charges of engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity and conducting an illegal gambling business.

In the new charges each of them is accused of submitting a cashier's check for $96,186 to Midland Escrow, property derived from a specified unlawful activity - distribution of controlled substance analogues or synthetic drugs on May 30, 2013, according to the information filed last Friday in U.S. District Court.

In the other charge, the couple is accused of conducting, financing, managing and owning all or part of an illegal gambling business from Feb. 5 2013 through September 2013, which involved video slot-type machines that are a violation of state law, according to the information. The business involved five or more people who conducted, financed, managed, supervised, directed and owned all or part of the gambling operation.

There also is a forfeiture allegation for any property derived from and any proceeds obtained from operating the Puff N Stuff, according to the information. The property to be forfeited includes a money judgment of $425,000 and any proceeds or property from the couple's business.

The couple also may face another charge for failing to appear in court.

A default civil judgment was previously ordered against the Al Sharaireis for four properties, one house in Cedar Rapids and three houses in Des Moines. The civil forfeiture claimed the purchase of the real properties represent property traceable to the sale of controlled substance analogues, represent the proceeds of the sale of controlled substance analogues, facilitate the sale of controlled substance analogues and represents property involved in money laundering.

l Comments: (319) 398-8318; trish.mehaffey@thegazette.com