A cannabis purveyor seeking to open a dispensary in Williamstown had his operating and provisional licenses suspended by the state last month after posting a video to Instagram that allegedly made threats of violence.
Oluwaseun Adedeji operates a dispensary in Eugene, Ore., and in Athol, and has provisional licenses in Williamstown and Orange for dispensaries that are not yet open. Williamstown Town Manager Rob Menicocci told The Eagle last week that Adedeji’s proposed dispensary is in limbo.
“We were made aware that their license to operate has been suspended,” Menicocci wrote in an email, “so all activity here will be paused pending further development with the state control board.”
The state Cannabis Control Commission suspended Adedeji’s license after he posted in March an Instagram video in which he is alleged to have threatened former Athol dispensary employees. The CCC report quotes Adedeji as saying in the video, “for my all old employees, if you step on my f- – -ing property without my permission, bro, on god, you will feel it.”
“You touch my business, I will kill you,” Adedeji allegedly said in the video. “No, boy. I will not kill you. You f- -k with me I’m gonna come for your everybody. Your whole family tree.” He then imitated the sound of gunfire.
Adedeji, who did not respond to The Eagle’s requests for comment, had already been in legal trouble in the months leading up to the March video, and had been having problems with the CCC’s application renewal process.
The CCC has said it found 10 “substantial” violations of its regulations, which Adedeji attempted to resolve by dismissing employees whom the Commission identified as not having proper training, and by promoting an employee to a top executive position.
But on March 23, the day after he told the Commission that the store was temporarily closed, Adedeji posted the video and said he’d opened the store and was manning it alone.
217 Main Street in Williamstown
A marijuana dispensary chain owner with a provisional license at the site of the former Four Acres Restaurant at 217 Main Street in Williamstown has had his license suspended.
After the video appeared, the Commission determined Adedeji “poses an immediate or serious threat to the public safety and welfare,” due to the threats to kill and assault his employees and also because his decision to open the dispensary alone was an “invitation to the public and announcement on social media” that “posed a public safety risk because a single individual cannot adequately secure a Marijuana Establishment against potential theft or diversion.”
As a result of that determination, none of Adedeji’s employees are allowed to set foot on the premises of his licensed properties, and he can do so only with the expressed permission from the CCC. He can appeal the Commission’s decision. The Commission also suspended the registration of seven of Adedeji’s employees.
In October of last year, Adedeji was arrested on several charges, including disturbing the peace. Some of those charges were dismissed this year, but other charges were continued without findings. After failing to appear in court on March 17 to respond to the continued charges, he was arrested on March 23. His next court date is April 14. The Commission did not say whether this criminal matter had anything to do with suspending Adedeji’s license.
Last year, The Eagle reported that Elev8, Adedeji’s company, had planned to open at some point in 2022 in the former Four Acres restaurant space adjacent to the Howard Johnson at 217 Main Street in Williamstown. The company began the process a couple of years back, but was delayed by logistics and the pandemic.
Williamstown officials were excited by the prospect after the Zoning Board of Appeals granted Elev8 a special permit in 2019, which would allow the firm to move ahead with demolition of the old restaurant and the construction of a smaller structure and parking lot. The building was demolished.
“Town Hall is more than ecstatic to see some investment in this abandoned property,” former Zoning Board of Appeals chair Andrew Hoar said at the time.
