West Chester resident Ismail Sharida and his brother must close or sell nearly 100 VIP Smoke Shops after pleading guilty Tuesday, Sept. 22, to felony drug trafficking charges in Butler County.

Sharida, 40, and Wael Sharaydeh, 57, of Cincinnati, entered guilty pleas in Butler County Common Pleas Court to five counts of trafficking hashish and one count of trafficking a Schedule I controlled substance analog, according to the Ohio Attorney General's Office. Their company, VIP Distribution Inc., also pleaded guilty to engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity.

The charges carry real weight. The brothers own the VIP Smoke Shop chain, which operates locations across Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky.

A Butler County grand jury indicted the men in 2024 after a nearly two-year investigation led by the Warren County Drug Task Force. Investigators found the shops were selling illegal substances to minors in southwest Ohio, WLWT reported.

The investigation began after complaints from parents and schools reached the Warren County Sheriff's Office, Local 12 reported. Investigators executed search warrants and seized hashish in the form of oils, resins and vape cartridges containing illegal amounts of Delta-9 THC. They also found products containing an analog of psilocin, a hallucinogenic compound found in psychedelic mushrooms.

Attorney General Andy Wilson said the case centered on keeping dangerous drugs away from children and warned that anyone trafficking illegal substances would face consequences.

Under the plea agreements, the brothers must close or sell all VIP Smoke Shops before their sentencing on Dec. 1. They also agreed to forfeit at least six vehicles and more than $338,000 seized from their shops and related bank accounts. At least three firearms and all illegal products that tested positive for hashish or psilocin analogs will also be forfeited.

The agreements bar both men from owning, operating or working for smoke shops during a probation period the court will set at sentencing.

The brothers had previously filed civil lawsuits against law enforcement and Warren County, claiming they were wrongly targeted. They agreed to dismiss those suits as part of the plea deal.

The Ohio Attorney General's Special Prosecutions Section is handling the case. Residents who suspect illegal drug sales can contact local law enforcement or the Warren County Drug Task Force.