Search Warrant Executed in Connection to BOCES Students Sickened by Vape Products

The Oneida County Sheriff's Office has announced the execution of a search warrant in connection to the students from the New Hartford BOCES that were sickened by vape products on December 15th.

Oneida County Sheriff Rob Maciol says a search warrant was executed on Wednesday, December 29th, 2021 at approximately 1PM at the "Smoke and Vapor Shop" located at 4679 Commercial Drive in New Hartford. Maciol says the search warrant was issued as a direct result of the criminal investigation stemming from the incident that sickened four students.

It was on December 15th, 2021 that School Resource Officers assigned to the BOCES campus were notified of a student having a reaction to an unknown substance the student had smoked from a vape pen, according to the Oneida County Sheriff's Office. It was learned that day that four students were impacted by the vape products and three of the four had to be hospitalized.

According to Maciol, their investigation indicated the "Smoke and Vapor Shop" was allegedly unlawfully selling concentrated cannabis to people under the age of 21. Maciol says, "As a result of the search warrant a significant quantity of THC vape cartridges/concentrated cannabis were seized." Maciol says the investigation is ongoing and additional charges may be filed in the future. The Sheriff's Office Narcotics Unit was assisted by and wants to thank the Criminal Investigations Unit of the Sheriff's Office, the Warrants Unit and New Hartford Police.

Marijuana products have been made legal in New York State this year, but the retail sale of said products has not yet been approved of.