Five Points bar owner, brother face more drug charges connected to June search
Police have filed additional charges against a Five Points restaurateur and his brother in connection with a June search of each of their homes.
Columbia Police first arrested restaurant and bar owner Jon Sears, 39, in June and charged him with possession with intent to distribute marijuana and possession with intent to distribute marijuana within proximity of a school. Meanwhile, police also in June arrested his brother, Geoffrey Sears, 33, and charged him with manufacturing marijuana.
The initial June arrests came after police, reportedly acting on a tip, searched Jon Sears’ home on Blossom Street and Geoffrey Sears’ home on Canal Place Drive.
Police have since filed additional charges related to that June search. Columbia Police Chief Skip Holbrook said the other charges came later because law enforcement had to run tests on substances.
“It’s common practice when we seize suspected controlled substances at a crime scene, sometimes they are readily identifiable to us, but other times we require confirmation on what the illegal drugs may be, so we wait for analysis,” Holbrook said. “That was the case here.”
Jon Sears has long been a noted restaurant and bar owner in the capital city. He has ownership in a host of Five Points locations, including The Bird Dog, Jake’s, and The Cotton Gin. He also is an owner of the more upscale Hendrix, a restaurant on the 1600 block of Columbia’s revitalized Main Street.
Per state court records and arrest warrant affidavits, Jon Sears has now additionally been charged with possession with intent to distribute hash oil, and possession with intent to distribute hash oil in proximity to a school. According to Healthline, hash oil is derived from cannabis plants and contains THC, the active ingredient in marijuana products.
Joe McCulloch, the attorney for Jon Sears, did not have expansive comment on those additional charges, and said he is continuing to review the case.
Meanwhile, Geoffrey Sears also is facing additional charges in the case, per court and police records.
He is charged with possession with intent to distribute a number of substances, including hash oil, MDMA, ketamine and psilocin. He also is charged with possession with intent to distribute those substances in proximity to a park.
Per the National Institute on Drug Abuse, MDMA is a stimulant and hallucinogen commonly known as ecstasy or “Molly.” Psilocin is commonly known as mushrooms. Ketamine has hallucinogenic properties, per the Drug Enforcement Administration, and can distort perceptions of sight and sound and make the user feel disconnected. It also is commonly used to as a tranquilizer for animals.
Democratic state Rep. Todd Rutherford, attorney for Geoffrey Sears, said the ketamine was for Sears’ pet.
“It’s a dog tranquilizer and his dog is sick,” Rutherford said. “I’m almost positive he’s got a prescription from his vet for that.”
Geoffrey Sears also got possession charges for cocaine, DMT, MDA and 2C-B. Online resources indicate DMT, MDA and 2C-B have psychedelic side effects similar to LSD.
Rutherford told The State he thinks drug laws, and law enforcement’s emphasis on drugs, should be examined.
“The drug policy of the United States and this state needs to continuously be looked at,” Rutherford said. “We continue to hear reports of rising violent crime, and yet this is where we spend our resources.”
This story was originally published August 23, 2021 at 11:28 AM.
