Citizens to Rally at Court Date of Family Accused of Selling Drugs from Gas Station

When the family accused of selling K2 and other drugs out of a Shelby Township gas station and smoke shop return to court this month, they will be met with an audience rallying for their prosecution.

More than two dozen residents from Shelby Township, Utica and neighboring communities gathered Monday at King of Kings Church on Schoenherr to discuss the growing issue of synthetic drugs and formulate a game plan to address the sale and use of these substances on a local level.  

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“If we work together, I think we can make a difference,” said Shelby Township resident Bill Miskokomon, who organized a rally outside Express Gas and Woodstock Tobacco last year. “We need to show the state we’re not playing around and we want this out of our community.”

Although Miskokomon initially suggested holding a second awareness rally outside the Dabish family's Van Dyke businesses, community members advocated a different approach with two defined goals in mind.

By rallying outside the 41A District Court on the family’s next scheduled court date, community members hope to illustrate their opposition to any plea bargain for the defendants and keep the issue on state legislators’ agendas.

“We need to hold our elected officials responsible,” said Scott Masi, outreach specialist at the Brighton Center for Recovery.

Masi, who gave a presentation to meeting attendees on the growing use of synthetics and other drugs among America’s youth, encouraged community members to be vocal in their concerns on a local and state level.

“Just because there’s legislation, we still have to do our due diligence,” Masi said. “It’s from a grassroots movement that we can make a difference.”

Given the prevalent use of synthetic drugs among teens and young adults, Miskokomon is asking “for a young person to take the lead” on the upcoming rally.

Anyone interested in assuming this role should contact Miskokomon through the Ban K2 Facebook page, where additional information concerning the rally and other related issues are regularly posted.

The Dabish family—a mother, two sons and two grandsons—are due to return to district court March 28 to face a laundry list of felony drug charges, including delivering and manufacturing controlled substances, maintaining a drug house and possession of a controlled substance.

All five family members were originally arrested in October 2012 after Shelby Township police and federal agents raided the former Citgo Gas Station, now Express Gas, and Woodstock Smoke Shop, confiscating large quantities of the synthetic drug K2, also known as Spice.

Investigators said the suspects had been distributing synthetic marijuana, cocaine, ecstasy, hydrocodone and marijuana out of their stores for several months prior to the raid.

• More: Police Staying Alert on Synthetic Drug Issue in Shelby Township

The court date and rally are subject to change. Stay with Patch for more on this developing story.