Prosecutors Say They’ll Fight To Close Pamela’s
Posted: October 3, 2012
HARRISONBURG — Local prosecutors plan to move forward on a civil case aimed at shutting down an adult store in Harrisonburg, despite the fact the U.S. Attorney’s Office is taking over the criminal case.
Rockingham County Commonwealth’s Attorney Marsha Garst said the case against Pamela’s Secrets in Rockingham County Circuit Court will move forward.
“At this point, none of our civil actions have been disbanded and we will continue to fight to have Pamela’s Secrets closed,” Garst said.
According to the federal government’s indictment against Augustus George Julias II, owner of the adult store at 3051 S. Main St., prosecutors are seeking to keep $84,000 seized by police during raids on the shop this spring. But the federal prosecutors aren’t seeking to take the property.
The indictment, issued Sept. 26, was sealed by court order until Julias and two other defendants made their first court appearance Monday in U.S. District Court in Harrisonburg.
Julias, 47, of Harrisonburg, Matthew L. Comer, 32, of Weyers Cave, and Jeremy B. King, 47, of Broadway, were indicted on one count each of conspiracy to distribute alpha-pyrrolidinopentiophenone. The drug is a synthetic substance used to manufacture bath salts.
The charges stem from raids by the RUSH Drug Task Force at Pamela’s Secrets on April 30 and again May 26.
The commonwealth’s attorney’s office dropped the felony and misdemeanor state drug charges against the defendants Tuesday but quickly reinstated the six misdemeanor charges accusing Julias of creating a public drug nuisance.
Those charges were used to support the request for a temporary injunction the circuit court ordered in June to temporarily close the business. If convicted of those charges, the business could be shut down for good.
Comer and Julias are being held without bond; King is free on a $15,000 secured bond.
The three defendants are scheduled for their criminal trial on Dec. 10 in U.S. District Court in Harrisonburg.
The next hearing in the state’s civil case against Julias and the store is scheduled for Jan. 23 in circuit court.
Contact Pete DeLea at 574-6278 or pdelea@dnronline.com
Rockingham County Commonwealth’s Attorney Marsha Garst said the case against Pamela’s Secrets in Rockingham County Circuit Court will move forward.
“At this point, none of our civil actions have been disbanded and we will continue to fight to have Pamela’s Secrets closed,” Garst said.
According to the federal government’s indictment against Augustus George Julias II, owner of the adult store at 3051 S. Main St., prosecutors are seeking to keep $84,000 seized by police during raids on the shop this spring. But the federal prosecutors aren’t seeking to take the property.
The indictment, issued Sept. 26, was sealed by court order until Julias and two other defendants made their first court appearance Monday in U.S. District Court in Harrisonburg.
Julias, 47, of Harrisonburg, Matthew L. Comer, 32, of Weyers Cave, and Jeremy B. King, 47, of Broadway, were indicted on one count each of conspiracy to distribute alpha-pyrrolidinopentiophenone. The drug is a synthetic substance used to manufacture bath salts.
The charges stem from raids by the RUSH Drug Task Force at Pamela’s Secrets on April 30 and again May 26.
The commonwealth’s attorney’s office dropped the felony and misdemeanor state drug charges against the defendants Tuesday but quickly reinstated the six misdemeanor charges accusing Julias of creating a public drug nuisance.
Those charges were used to support the request for a temporary injunction the circuit court ordered in June to temporarily close the business. If convicted of those charges, the business could be shut down for good.
Comer and Julias are being held without bond; King is free on a $15,000 secured bond.
The three defendants are scheduled for their criminal trial on Dec. 10 in U.S. District Court in Harrisonburg.
The next hearing in the state’s civil case against Julias and the store is scheduled for Jan. 23 in circuit court.
Contact Pete DeLea at 574-6278 or pdelea@dnronline.com