MAYOR DEFENDS POCATELLO 'HEAD SHOP' BUSTS, ARRESTS

POCATELLO - Toni Reisner wasn't happy when her son Damon Bosquez took a job
at Smokey's Den about five years ago, but she thought it was honest work.

She believed her son and other workers who sold glass pipes and smoking
accessories at a so-called "head shop" protected themselves legally by
posting signs informing customers all products were intended only for
tobacco use.

Monday morning, police arrested her son and five other employees and owners
of local stores on felony charges of selling drug paraphernalia.

In Pocatello, police and federal officials confiscated truckloads of
alleged paraphernalia from Smokey's Den, 145 S. Third Ave., Pegasus Book
Store, 246 W. Center St., and Twenty after Four 218 N. Main St.

"I want to know how these businesses are licensed in Pocatello, but yet
it's illegal," Reisner said. "My kid's never been in trouble in his life."

Mayor Roger Chase said the warrants were issued by the federal government,
and the city's role was to assist and observe. He said the City Council
never discussed the topic.

"This was a federal indictment, and the law they were citing them on was a
federal law and not city or state laws," Chase said.

Arrests were also made in Idaho Falls, Boise, Nampa, Mountain Home, Burley
and Twin Falls in connection with a federal crackdown on paraphernalia shops.

Police charged Bosquez and Mark Sayles, both of Smokey's Den; Bryan Jason
Clum and Travis Clifton Shafer, co-owners of Twenty after Four, and store
employee Thomas Owen Calvin; and Michelle Darlene Harrison, a Pegasus employee.

The defendants have all pleaded not guilty and have been released from jail
awaiting trial April 28 and 29.

Jack Van Valkenburgh, executive director of the American Civil Liberties
Union of Idaho, said his organization opposes the raids but will probably
not get involved in the case any time soon.

"We certainly oppose making felonies of these types of problems, and we
oppose the criminalization of marijuana for consenting adults for the same
reasons we got rid of prohibition of alcohol," Van Valkenburgh said. "I
think it's a shame to jeopardize the future of young people's lives in this
way."

Assistant U.S. Attorney Monte Stiles said the Idaho effort started with a
search of the Red Eye Hut in Boise, and authorities realized similar
businesses were selling paraphernalia throughout Idaho.

"If you can find me a Tommy Chong bong with tobacco residue on it then you
will be in the 'Guiness Book of World Records,'" Stiles said.