Couple Used Son To Sell Drugs Through Atlantic Co.: Prosecutor

SOMERS POINT, NJ — An Atlantic County couple has been indicted on multiple charges for using their apartment where they lived with their three children to manufacture drugs and using their teenage son to help sell them, officials said.

John Garman, 38, and Donna Shiffler, 39, maintained a drug manufacturing facility out of their Somers Point apartment that supplied hundreds in Atlantic County with marijuana, THC products and psilocybin mushrooms, the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office said.

In the apartment where the couple lived with their children ages 14, 12 and seven, authorities found about 62 pounds of hashish, about 42 pounds of marijuana and about two pounds of psilocybin mushrooms, officials said.

The couple also had packaging materials, labels and business cards with the name "Garmans Goods."

About $119,000 in U.S. currency was seized from the apartment, which police believe to be the proceeds from drug dealing.

Messages spanning more than a year show that Garman and Shiffler also regularly used their 14-year-old son to prepare, package and sell drugs on their behalf, compensating him with drugs including marijuana and THC gummies, officials said.

Evidence from the "Garmans Goods" Facebook page showed that the couple supplied hundreds in Atlantic County with marijuana, THC products and psilocybin mushrooms at public locations including recreation fields, shopping centers and drug free school zones, officials said.

Garman and Shiffler were initially arrested on May 25. A post from the Facebook page on May 26 reads "Page is shut down do not message this page or p.m."

They were rearrested on Aug. 3 due to additional evidence. Both remain in the Atlantic County Justice Facility pending detention hearings on Aug. 9.

Garman is indicted on the following charges:

• First-degree leader of narcotics trafficking network
• First-degree possession with intent to distribute CDS
• First-degree maintaining a CDS production facility
• First-degree employing a juvenile in the commission of a crime
• Second-degree employing a juvenile in a drug distribution scheme
• Second-degree endangering child welfare
• Second-degree conspiracy to distribute CDS
• Second-degree conspiracy to maintain a CDS production facility
• Second-degree money laundering
• Second-degree conspiracy to commit money laundering

Shiffler is indicted on the following charges

• First-degree possession with intent to distribute CDS
• First-degree maintaining a CDS production facility
• First-degree employing a juvenile in the commission of a crime
• Second-degree employing a juvenile in a drug distribution scheme
• Second-degree endangering child welfare
• Second-degree conspiracy to distribute CDS
• Second-degree conspiracy to maintain a CDS production facility
• Second-degree money laundering
• Second-degree conspiracy to commit money laundering