A woman from Somers Point, NJ who confessed to establishing a cannabis operation that involved her adolescent son, received a five-year prison term on Tuesday.
At the age of 40, Donna Shiffler entered a guilty plea on May 1 to charges of operating a drug production facility and marijuana distribution, as well as endangering the welfare of a child.
Donna, along with her partner John Garman, managed the illicit business from their residence, which they shared with their three young children.
The couple’s oldest child, a 14-year-old, was employed by the operation and was compensated with the business’s products. Authorities found some of these products during a raid on their home in May 2023.
Following the raid, John Garman was apprehended. The police confiscated approximately 65 pounds of marijuana, 32 pounds of THC-infused gummies, 1.5 pounds of Psilocybin mushrooms, 10 pounds of THC vape cartridges, and half a pound of other THC edibles. They also seized around $119,526 in cash.
The local community showed support for the family after the incident became public.
John’s sister initiated a GoFundMe campaign to assist the family, highlighting his reputation for kindness and generosity. She wrote, “John and his family are facing extreme hardship, having lost everything, down to their very last dollar.”
John was open about his business on social media, regularly advertising ‘Garman’s Goods’ and organizing community ‘treasure hunts’ for free products.
The couple utilized business cards, flyers, and videos to promote their business.
Shiffler was arrested shortly after Garman and was released pending a detention hearing. Garman was initially detained but was later released following state approval.
He is now serving a 10-year sentence at South Woods State Prison.
After her sentencing, Shiffler was taken into custody and is currently held at the Atlantic County Justice Facility, awaiting her transfer to state prison.
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