KILLEEN, Texas — It's been a week full of heartbreak for Kyle Brown and Michelle Sayers, owners of Venom Vapors in Killeen, after the Killeen Police Department raided their shop for 8 hours on Oct. 20 due to crime and narcotic complaints.
The siblings started the shop in 2017 and moved to Killeen in 2020. They said they always had a strong relationship with the department and told 6 News they even assisted in providing surveillance footage in a homicide.
Filled with pain and frustration, the business owners believe a press release over an inspection of their shop didn't tell the full story.
"It felt like we were already proven guilty," Brown told 6 News. "We're not saying they can't do their job and that they didn't do their job, what we're saying is there was some mistakes here."
Ofelia Miramontez, Public Affairs for the Killeen Police Department, released the following statement:
On Friday, Oct. 20, 2023, detectives conducted an inspection, with the assistance of the Killeen Fire Marshals, Killeen Code Enforcement and Killeen Building Inspectors. During the inspection, illegal narcotics were displayed inside the business. A narcotics search warrant was executed, and detectives seized 120 grams of THC products, 56 grams of marijuana, 8 electronic gambling devices (computer towers), 6 gambling ledgers, gambling paraphernalia and $36,117.00 in US currency.
Brown, however, says all their products are in compliance with state law.
"I tried to show the police all the products we carry have COA, a certificate of analysis," Brown said. "That shows that they are in compliance with state law. The law says 3% of a certain THC strain, not the total."
Brown and Sayers say they sell hemp products, which is legal in Texas.
"House Bill 1325 passed in 2019," Brown said. "This is where we want the business to go. This is what lawmakers wanted and how lawmakers wanted it to be. Instead, local law enforcement is reading it incorrect."
Retired Killeen Police Chief, Charles Kimble, with over 30 years of law enforcement experience, worked on cases like this himself. He says a lot of times substances come overseas and what's inside could be harmful.
"That's why we conduct further investigation," Kimble said.
The Killeen Police Department said they also seized gambling devices during the inspection, but Brown says they were sweepstakes machines and all in compliance with state law.
Kimble understands the frustration and pain from the owners and explained how lots of background work is done before a raid like this.
"We look at activity, there's surveillance, there's interviews, there's a lot of work that is done before you go into execution mode," Kimble added. "Sometimes we have interviews with people who have maybe bought substances from their people and substances may have even been tested before the raid has gotten here. The Killeen Police Department cannot, or any law enforcement agency can't turn a blind eye to potential illegal activity."
As the investigation continues, it's taken a toll on the customers, employees and owners.
"We're now being basically treated as criminals when we haven't done anything wrong and didn't even have the chance to show how we were in the right," Brown said.
The two siblings say they pride themselves in helping law enforcement and feel like their trust has been completely broken.
"We were raised to respect law enforcement," Sayers said in tears.
"We know that police officers are the glue to the fabric of society in the community," Brown added. "Any chance we could to help them help, you know, victims of crimes and things like that, we wanted to."
No one at the store has been charged with anything at this time. The products are being tested.
Killeen Police told 6 News the investigation is ongoing and at this time no other information will be released.
6 News will provide updates as information further develops.
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