Store Owner Faces Charges For 'Gifting' Marijuana

METHUEN, MA -- An undercover Andover Police officer helped build a case against a Methuen store owner, who is facing drug distribution charges. Sandra Kattar, of Haverhill, allegedly "gave" customers of marijuana when they purchased items in the now closed Humble Bumble in Methuen. The ploy was reportedly an attempt to circumvent the now-legal status of marijuana in Massachusetts before rules were put in place for retail, recreational sales of the drug.

According to court records, Kattar co-owned Humble Bumble with Kirby and Rocco Mastrangelo. The wellness store sold legal hemp products, but Kattar allegedly overcharged for items in the store and then gave customer marijuana.

"Customers frequenting the shop were purchasing regular items like 'bath salts' for an amount well beyond their reasonable value with the intention of being 'gifted' specific amounts of a green, leafy substance consistent with marijuana," prosecutors wrote in Kattar's indictment.

On Sept. 13 of last year, an undercover police officer from Andover went to the store and asked about "the strong stuff." After purchasing an item for $45, he was given the item and about an eight of an ounce of marijuana. The same officer made a second purchase five days later and was again given marijuana.

Kattar has been charged with distribution of marijuana. Her attorney filed a motion to dismiss the charges because there was no legal framework to sell the drug in Massachusetts, even after voters approved recreational marijuana sales in the 2016 general election. That motion was denied.

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Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).