Ed Forchion is scheduled to appear in court next month on charges stemming from a raid on his East State Street businesses Watch video
TRENTON - Ed Forchion, also known as NJ Weedman, will be in court early next month to fight charges stemming from an April raid on his businesses and is calling on the acting Mercer County Prosecutor to handle the case himself.
Forchion has been ordered to appear in Mercer County Superior Court at 9 a.m. June 8 for a pre-indictment conference, according to the summons that he posted to his Facebook account.
Forchion, who faces multiple counts in the April 27 raid on his East State Street restaurant and the adjacent Liberty Bell Temple 'cannabis church," said he believes he is "un-convictable" and dared acting Mercer County Prosector Angelo Onofri to prosecute the case himself.
"I'm calling out Mr. Onofri. I think he should represent his office himself and take my butt-kicking," Forchion said in an interview Friday. "I'm eager for this.''
Casey DeBlasio, spokeswoman for the prosecutor's office, said Forchion's case "is pending presentation to a grand jury and will proceed through the system in its normal course."
Forchion, 51, who opened the restaurant and sanctuary last year, faces 10 charges of marijuana possession and distribution, as well as distribution of drug paraphernalia, maintaining a narcotics nuisance, and for having booby traps in a manufacturing or distribution facility.
Forchion was one of 10 people arrested in the raid. Of the nine others arrested, two were charged with drug possession. The remainder were charged with outstanding warrants, according to police records.
Police have said that the raid was the culmination of a two-month investigation into alleged marijuana sales at Forchion's restaurant, NJ Weedman's Joint, and his Liberty Bell Temple next door, Mercer County Prosecutor's Office has said.
'NJ Weedman' facing pot charges, 9 others arrested
That investigation was spurred by residents' complaints to police that Forchion was distributing marijuana and that there was excessive foot traffic at the establishments during off hours, prosecutors have said.
Forchion said that he believes the police and prosecutor's office are acting out against him for setting up security cameras to film police activity outside his establishment and for filing a lawsuit against the city earlier this year.
The raid was the first of three setbacks for Forchion. The second came on May 17, when the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear his marijuana legalization case, a setback that Forchion described as a "major disappointment."
And on May 13, Forchion was again arrested by Trenton police, this time on charges of cyber bullying, minor marijuana possession and disorderly conduct, according to police records.
The cyber bullying charge, a fourth degree harassment charge, stems from a Youtube video Forchion posted in which he calls Trenton Police Officer Herbert Flowers a "pedophile,'' according to Lt. Stephen Varn.
The charge is laughable, Forchion said.
But Forchion said he is concerned about the effect on his business that the added police attention has brought. He said business has considerably slowed for the first time since he opened last year. And he said police are frequently seen outside or cruising by his establishment.
"I'm standing in the dining room right now and I'm looking at an empty restaurant at lunchtime. I feel like the police are trying to run me out of town.''
Keith Brown may be reached at kbrown@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @KbrownTrenton. Find NJ.com on Facebook.