Former council member receives sentence for trafficking illegal drugs through e-cigarettes in Mississippi and North Carolina

A former city council member from Gulfport, Mississippi, was sentenced to six years in federal prison on Tuesday after pleading guilty to a federal conspiracy charge connected to operating a business that sold illegal drugs. Robert Leon Deming III, 47, admitted to the charge on May 1 and subsequently resigned from the Biloxi City Council, where he was serving his third term. Deming established the Candy Shop LLC in 2019 to manage stores selling CBD and vape products in Mississippi and North Carolina.

According to the U.S. attorney’s office for southern Mississippi, Deming managed to sell over $2 million worth of CBD and vape products that contained controlled substances, such as synthetic cannabinoids. Prosecutors revealed that text messages from Deming’s employees indicated concerns about the strength of additives that could potentially harm customers. Additionally, Deming was accused of misbranding the additives as containing CBD.

Justin Fielder, the special agent in charge of the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations in Miami, emphasized the risks posed to U.S. consumers by false and misleading labeling. Fielder highlighted the importance of accurate labeling to assist consumers in making informed decisions about their purchases.

An investigation into Deming’s business was initiated by the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in 2020. Complaints received in 2022 by the Drug Enforcement Administration reported that some of the products were causing illnesses among customers.

As part of his plea deal, Deming agreed to surrender more than $1.9 million in assets and a yellow monster truck. In 2020, Deming ran for a U.S. House seat in south Mississippi but was defeated in the Republican primary.