ELYRIA, OH — Brittany D. Jackson, the operator of Exotic Flower, an unlicensed dispensary raided by Elyria police in April, has been formally indicted on five felony charges after her case was bound over to Lorain County Common Pleas Court.
Jackson, 35, of Lorain, was arrested following an April 25 search warrant executed by Elyria police at the Exotic Flower storefront located at 1600 Middle Avenue. Officers reported seizing several pounds of marijuana, a handgun with an extended magazine, suspected psilocybin mushrooms, and U.S. currency. Psilocybin is classified as a Schedule I controlled substance under Ohio law.
Initial charges were filed in Elyria Municipal Court, where Jackson appeared for a jail arraignment on April 28. A judge found probable cause and set a $10,000 cash or surety bond, in addition to a $10,000 personal bond divided across four felony charges. Jackson posted bond through a surety that same day.
The charges included two counts of trafficking in drugs — both felonies of the second degree — as well as felony charges for possession of marijuana, aggravated possession of drugs, and possession of criminal tools. A preliminary hearing scheduled for early May was continued once before Jackson waived the hearing on May 23. The case was then transferred to the county court for further prosecution.
On July 10, a Lorain County grand jury returned an indictment formally charging Jackson with all five felony counts. Two of the trafficking charges include specifications related to drug amounts exceeding bulk quantities and the alleged proximity of the sales to a school. The Exotic Flower location is situated less than 1,000 feet from Hamilton Elementary School, which is the basis for the school zone enhancements.
The indictment also lists additional specifications indicating Jackson allegedly had in her possession a compact 9mm handgun, two digital scales, an iPad, and $1,375 in cash at the time of the raid. Those items may be subject to forfeiture if she is convicted.
The storefront had advertised products including THC vape cartridges and CBD items. Police said the business was not licensed under the state’s regulatory system for marijuana sales. According to Elyria police, the April 25 operation marked the first search warrant carried out on an unlicensed dispensary in Lorain County.
Jackson was served with a summons by the Lorain County Sheriff’s Office the same day the indictment was filed. No trial date has been scheduled as of this report. Court records show $220 in unpaid court fees from her initial appearances.