CORONA BOTÁNICA OWNER CONVICTED OF POSSESSION OF COCAINE AT HIS ESTABLISHMENT

Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown announced today the conviction of the owner of a Corona botánica, a store where religious articles and medicinal herbs may be purchased, on charges of possessing of cocaine found at the establishment. The cocaine had a street value of approximately $400.

District Attorney Brown identified the defendant as Calixto Hojas, 39, of 91-20 90th Street in Jamaica. He was convicted after a five day jury trial before Supreme Court Justice Jaime A. Rios. The defendant will be sentenced on November 4th and faces five to fifteen years in prison.

According to the testimony at trial, police, working on a tip that the defendant allegedly was selling guns from the Botánica Record Shop de San Miguel Archangel, obtained a search warrant and entered the location at 39-18 111th Street in Corona on December 23, 1997 at approximately 8:00 P.M.. Although the police did not find any guns, they discovered glassine envelopes behind the counter and in other areas of the shop. In total they recovered 68 glassine envelopes and $152 in U.S. currency. A thorough search of the premises was made and oz. and 15 grains of cocaine were discovered hidden in a small film canister hidden in a potted plant on top of a refrigerator. The defendant was immediately arrested.

Assistant District Attorney Stephen L. Drummond of the District Attorney's Narcotics Trials Bureau, under the supervision of Bureau Chief Kenneth C. Holder, was in charge of the prosecution.