SEVENTH HEAVEN OWNER PLEADS GUILTY

KANSAS CITY -- The owner of the 7th Heaven stores in Sedalia and
Kansas City has pleaded guilty to selling drug paraphernalia.

Jan H. Fichman, 54, of Leawood, Kan., agreed to pay the government
$440,000, which he agreed is the value of the paraphernalia sales
from Jan. 1, 2000, to Feb. 10, 2005. He will make that payment in
lieu of forfeiting his two stores and residence to the government.

Mr. Fichman admitted to participating in a conspiracy to sell water
bongs, pipes, concealment pipes, detoxifiers and car cigarette pipes
at his Sedalia store.

It is illegal under federal law to sell drug paraphernalia, equipment
designed or intended to ingest or inhale controlled substances, such
as marijuana or cocaine, U.S. Attorney Bradley J. Schlozman said in a
written statement Wednesday.

"Those who sell drug paraphernalia are not only violating federal
law, they are supporting a culture of illegal drug use and indirectly
profiting from illegal drug trafficking," Mr. Schlozman said.
"Today's guilty plea sends a message that these head shops and other
businesses that have brazenly violated the law will be held
accountable for their actions.

"In order to protect children from the scourge of illegal drugs, we
will prosecute the enablers and profiteers of the drug culture as
aggressively as we pursue the dealers, the traffickers, and the
manufacturers of illegal drugs."

Mr. Fichman could get up to three years in prison without parole when
he appears before Judge Nanette K. Laughrey for sentencing in U.S.
District Court. The sentencing date will be set after a pre-sentence
investigation.

Sedalia police officers and U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency officers
raided the Sedalia store in the spring of 2004. Mr. Fichman and his
wife, Anita, 52, were charged in February 2005.