Chattooga County Sheriff Mark Schrader said he believes that the recent sentencing of store owners caught selling synthetic marijuana in the county will send a message to others who may have considered selling the illegal substance.

Late last week, the owner of the Mountain Top Store at Cloudland – Atish Patel – pled guilty in Chattooga County Superior Court to charges that he had actively been selling synthetic marijuana at his business. He was sentenced to two years in prison; that, to be followed by a lengthy probation period.

Sunil Patel, the former owner of the now-closed Smoke Shop in Summerville, also entered a guilty plea to charges of selling the illegal substance – and was sentenced to six months in a detention program to be followed by probation. His wife has also been charged but has yet to enter a plea.

P.K. Patel, who operated BJ’s Food Mart on Highway 27 at the Mountain View intersection – has entered a guilty plea to those same charges and has been sentenced to time in prison to be followed by a period of probation.

Sheriff Schrader says synthetic marijuana is not welcome in the county – and neither will it be tolerated.

(AM1180 Chattooga County Radio)