Towson Convenience Manager Pleads Guilty To Distributing Synthetic Marijuana

The manager of a Towson convenience store pleaded guilty to three counts of distributing synthetic marijuana on Tuesday.

Lyakataly Jamal, who managed the Towson Super Market (422 York Road), entered the guilty plea in Baltimore County Circuit Court, according to a press release from the office of Baltimore County State's Attorney Scott Shellenberger.

Jamal was sentenced to a suspended six-month prison term, with two years of probation, according to the release.

Baltimore County police began investigating the Towson Super Market as a distributor of synthetic marijuana in May 2012 after a Towson University student got sick from smoking the substance commonly known as spice, the release states.

In May and June, investigators were able to purchase "spice" from Jamal five times, the release states.

Distributing synthetic marijuana is illegal under Baltimore County code.

A search of online court records shows that Jamal was charged with multiple offenses related to the distribution of "spice" and paraphernalia on June 14, 2012.

"Spice/K2 is yet another shiny packaged substance that must be kept out of the hands of those who want to use and potentially abuse it," said Dr. Gregory Wm. Branch, the county's director of Health and Human Services, in the release.

A health alert sent by the state's attorney's office about the drug is attached to this article.

"I want to send a message to responsible business owners that substances like spice are not to be sold in Baltimore County. We will continue to be on the lookout for those selling dangerous substances like this," Shellenberger said in the release.