Pubdate: Sat, 22 May 2004
Source: Kansas City Star (MO)
Copyright: 2004 The Kansas City Star
Contact:  http://www.kcstar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/221
Author: Mark Morris, The Kansas City Star

MUSIC STORES PART OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA PROBE

Raids this week of two Missouri retail stores and a Leawood home were
part of a federal investigation into the sale of drug paraphernalia,
court records show.

Search warrants and affidavits opened Friday show that 7th Heaven
music stores in Kansas City and Sedalia and their owners, Jan and
Anita Fichman of Leawood, are the subjects of an investigation being
conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue
Service, and police departments in those cities.

On Wednesday, agents searched the Fichmans' home and 7th Heaven
locations at 7621 Troost Ave. in Kansas City and at 1001 S. Limit in
Sedalia.

No charges have been filed against the couple.

Speaking for the Fichmans, defense lawyer J.R. Hobbs said he was
working to settle the matter.

"7th Heaven is cooperating through its counsel with the U.S.
attorney's office," Hobbs said. "The matter involves merchandise and
not the sale of drugs. 7th Heaven is hopeful the matter can be
resolved without court action."

A spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office declined to
comment.

"This is part of an ongoing investigation and no charges have been
filed," said Don Ledford, the spokesman. "It would be inappropriate
for us to comment."

In their searches, agents seized hundreds of glass pipes, pipe repair
parts, paper rollers, business records and computer disks.

In an affidavit, DEA agent Todd Allen Dolato said a police undercover
video taken inside the Kansas City store showed pipes sometimes used
to smoke marijuana and crack cocaine.

"These items are not traditionally intended for use with tobacco
products and have no legitimate use in the community but for the
ingestion of a controlled substance," Dolato wrote.

The affidavit described how a Sedalia police officer purchased a pipe
disguised as a highlighter marker from the 7th Heaven store in that
city.

Records show that investigators have, since February, searched trash
from the Kansas City store and the Fichmans' home. Agents have
recovered business records, bank statements, pipe marketing materials
and legal documents.
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake