All The Toppings
Hamilton, OH
Mia Bella Pizza in Hamilton, police say, offered a special ingredient.
In addition to ordering pepperoni, cheese and mushrooms with their pizza, some customers also were ordering marijuana, police said.
That’s because the pizza shop’s manager and co-owner, police say, was dealing drugs while behind the counter, police said.
Brian Wallace, 32, of Colerain Township, was arrested and faces drug charges in both Hamilton County and Butler County.
First, Butler County Sheriff’s deputies raided Mia Bella Pizza shop at 2528 Pleasant Avenue on Tuesday after a months-long undercover operation where they say they bought marijuana several times from Wallace.
During the Tuesday raid, police said they found Wallace behind the counter – with $1,400 in his pockets, two pounds of marijuana, scales and plastic bags.
Then they joined with agents from Regional Narcotics Enforcement – made up of Cincinnati police and Hamilton County Sheriff’s deputies – who went to Wallace’s Forfeit Run home and found pot plants growing, another 36½ pounds of pot, and pills.
Police estimated the street value of the seized marijuana at $45,000.
Butler County officials charged him with possession of drugs and trafficking in drugs.
Wallace was in Hamilton County today to face charges from the raid on his Colerain Township home. In Hamilton County, he is charged with trafficking in drugs, possession drugs and cultivating drugs.
Wallace’s attorney today said the pizza shop is owned by Wallace’s father but is managed by Wallace.
Wallace was ordered held in Hamilton County on a $200,000 bond.
Found in the Cincinnati Enquirer
Thanks Luann!
June 25th, 2007 at 2:24 am
Damn, what a good job to have dealing pot from a pizza place. Guaranteed clients with the munchies.
June 25th, 2007 at 12:27 pm
On paper this looks like a brilliant business strategy. However, the person who scratched it out must have been stoned.
June 25th, 2007 at 12:58 pm
Well, getting past the illegal stuff, it’s so that some people trust others way beyond what they should…. Father trusting son, Son trusting an unknown informant or two. Not saying he was doing the right thing but, people are out there to ruin others lives because THEY think the right thing to do is be a NARC! WHATEVER! This guy will do time for a very long time with the compounded charges against him.
June 25th, 2007 at 9:52 pm
I know lots of people who, over the years, have made a few bux selling weed out of pizza places. What they have in common though, is a certain amount of common sense about with whom they do “business”. Rule #1 NEVER sell anything illegal to someone for whom you cannot vouch personally. Rule #2 when dealing with people whom you trust implicitly, BE CAREFUL!!
June 26th, 2007 at 10:09 am
Hoorah for Narcs! Their motivation does not matter. Breaking the law and providing means for others to do so does matter.