Millions in cash and property seized from alleged synthetic drug sellers

7:07 AM, Dec 22, 2012

A Ducati motorcycle, property in northern California, guns and millions in cash are among the assets federal authorities have seized from scores of suspected peddlers of synthetic drugs.

Court documents filed in the case reveal large sums of money that, prosecutors say, were gained from selling dangerous chemicals marketed as incense but meant to be consumed as a drug.

In all, 21 local shop owners, managers and employees were indicted by a federal grand jury early this month in the first-of-its-kind roundup of those suspected of selling synthetic marijuana in Springfield, Joplin and elsewhere.

In less than three years, one family-owned business is alleged to have made nearly $7 million. The Franklins, authorities say, created a business that mailed synthetic drugs to head shops throughout southwest Missouri.

Douglas K. Franklin and his son Brandon D. Franklin, of Springfield, stuffed bank accounts across the country, according to court documents filed against them.

Almost $700,000 was transferred to an account for Hellbender Meadery, a honey wine store Caitlyn E. Franklin was expected to open this year in Rogersville.

Federal authorities are also seeking more than $1 million from the Reynolds brothers, who owned stores in Lebanon and Eldridge.

Stephen and Eric Reynolds might also be required to forfeit real estate, $128,000 in cash, the contents of a safe deposit box, a 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee, three pistols, an AR-15 rifle and other items that, authorities say, were paid for by the proceeds of synthetic drug sales.

Experts who have followed the surge of synthetic drugs in the area have long held that the business is lucrative.

“The amount of money they can get from selling this stuff, in my opinion, is pretty much astronomical,” said Bob Welsh, of the Missouri Safety Center.

Welsh is program manager of the center at the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg. He teaches law enforcement courses about synthetic drugs and has lab tested the effects of some substances on humans.

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