5 people accused of selling illegal drugs at Murrysville vape store appear in court for first time
Almost a year after law enforcement raided a Murrysville vape shop for the alleged sales of illegal drugs, five people were officially charged when they turned themselves in for an arraignment Tuesday afternoon.
Jeffrey Higgins, one of the two owners of PA Vapor in Murrysville had no comment for Channel 11′s Andrew Havranek after his arraignment. He was charged with 68 counts — 40 of which are felonies.
Police say his business was selling illegal marijuana products including vape cartridges and wax, Delta 8 and Delta 9 THC products, and drug paraphernalia.
His business partner and co-owner of PA Vapor, Eric Parco, faces the same charges — which include a corrupt organization felony and criminal conspiracy.
In an interview with Channel 11 on March 15, 2023, after a year-long investigation into the vape shop, Westmoreland County District Attorney Nicole Ziccarelli said these products were being sold to high school kids and undercover detectives.
>> Year-long joint investigation ends in illegal drug bust at Murrysville vape store
“If you are selling illegal THC products to anyone, specifically targeting children, we will launch an investigation and we will prosecute you,” Ziccarrelli said.
Two former employees, Raelynn Miller and Isaiah Priches, and a current employee, Daniel McKenzie, were also charged.
According to the criminal complaint, PA Vapor was also selling psilocin, or psychedelic mushrooms.
In one instance, an officer was able to purchase 35 shroom pills from the store.
In another undercover buy, an officer purchased a shroom-infused chocolate bar from Miller. Miller told that officer she had “tripped” after eating some, and that her boyfriend “saw God” after eating five pieces.
In a third buy in March of 2023, another officer bought another candy bar from Miller and Parco, who explained the hallucinating effects.
The attorney for Higgins argued for the courts to not require any bail in this case, saying PA Vapor has been operating for years, and these sales were not made in secret. He also said the shop no longer sells those products.
But the district attorney’s office argues the products were being sold in mass quantities and the store’s profit has been “way down since he stopped selling these products.”
The complaint alleges both owners and the three employees knew the “euphoric effects” the products had on the human body.
Both of the owners had to post 10%, or $7,500 of a $75,000 bail. The three employees are out of jail on a $5,000 unsecured bond.
Priches faces 18 charges, McKenzie faces 11, and Miller faces 33.
The two co-owners and the three employees are all due back in court for their preliminary hearing in April.
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