A Somers Point man who made his cannabis business a family affair was sentenced to 10 years in prison Tuesday.
John Garman, 39, made little effort to keep illegal selling a secret.
Garman's Goods had business cards and flyers, along with photos and videos promoting the business on social media.
John Garman even ran promotions where people went on treasure hunts to find free product hidden around town.
He pleaded guilty in March. His girlfriend and apparent business partner, Donna Shiffler, pleaded guilty May 1, when the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office announced both agreements.
The couple share three children, with the eldest — 14 at the time — employed in the family business.
Messages spanning over a year indicated the pair regularly used their eldest son to prepare, package and sell drugs on their behalf, according to the affidavit of probable cause previously reported by BreakingAC.
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 investigation included Garman selling marijuana, psilocybin mushrooms and THC edible products to an undercover detective at the Ocean Heights Shopping Plaza in Somers Point.
He told the officer that with the summer months approaching, he was going to have someone distribute his business cards on the Boardwalk, the affidavit states. The name of the person was redacted.
Garman was arrested in May 2023, after police seized 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 report at the time. There was also about $119,526 in cash confiscated.
The community rallied around the family when news broke.
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,” Jessica Garman wrote. “Everything, right down to their last dollar.”
The still-active page raised $4,960.
Shiffler was arrested days after Garman, and released following a detention hearing. Garman was at first held, but the state then consented to his release as well.
Garman was taken into custody after his sentencing. He is in the Atlantic County Justice Facility pending transfer to state prison.
Shiffler is scheduled to be sentenced July 9, when she faces a five-year sentenced under her plea agreement.
Neither sentence calls for a mandatory minimum before they are eligible for parole.
