Somers Point couple allegedly employed teen son in cannabis business

A Somers Point couple has been indicted for allegedly running a cannabis facility out of the home they share with their three children.

John Garman, 38, and Donna Shiffler, 39, were arrested May 25, in a raid that led to about 65 pounds of marijuana, 32 pounds of THC gummy candy, 1½ pounds of Psilocybin mushrooms, 10 pounds of THC cartridges and half-pound of additional THC-infused candy, according to the charges.

About $119,526 in cash was also seized.

Garman was briefly jailed, but the state later consented to his release while the charges are pending.

Shiffler was not criminally charged at the time, but now faces nine charges after a grand jury indicted the couple.

Both are now in the Atlantic County Justice Facility on new charges, including that they employed their 14-year-old son.

Messages spanning over a year indicated the teen's parents regularly used him to prepare, package and sell drugs on their behalf.

Digital evidence also revealed that Garman and Shiffler compensated their son in drugs, including marijuana and THC products.

Some was found in the teen's room when the home was raided, BreakingAC previously reported.

He was also home at the time of the raid while his 12- and 7-year-old siblings were at school.

The couples joint charges include first-degree possession with intent to distribute and employing a juvenile in the commission of a crime, along with second-degree charges of employing a juvenile in a drug-distribution scheme and and endangering the welfare of a child.

Garman faces a 10th charge of first-degree leader of a drug-trafficking network.

The couple was not private in their alleged endeavor, with business cards, flyers and even videos promoting "Garmans Goods."

The community also rallied around them following Garman's arrest.

In a GoFundMe his sister started for the family, many donors wrote of Garman's kindness and generosity.

“John and his family are in a very hard spot where they have lost everything,” his sister, Jessica Garman, wrote on a GoFundMe page that has raised $4,730 to date. “Everything, right down to their last dollar.”

The goal was originally listed as $20,000 but is now listed as $8,000.

The couple does not appear to have a significant criminal history. The only other criminal charge for either seems to be a 2012 third-degree heroin charge, according to court records.

Garman pleaded in 2014 to a noncustodial term after serving just one day in jail.

Shiffler pleaded two years later to a similar term after serving 40 days in the county facility.