Purple Zone cases settled

By JOHN DANIEL GARCIA and ROBERT HALPERN

ALPINE – An Alpine mother and her two daughters have settled state and federal charges in connection with several raids on a vape shop in Alpine called The Purple Zone.

On Friday, Ilana Lipsen pleaded guilty to first-degree felony manufacture, delivery, and possession of a controlled substance called spice, or synthetic marijuana, 83^rd District Attorney Rod Ponton said.

Similar charges against Lipsen’s mother Rosa were dismissed.

The state charges stem from a series of search warrants served on the business in 2012. It is to be noted that spice laws changed that year from legal to illegal.

The case was set for trial next week in Van Horn on a court-ordered change of venue.

Ilana Lipsen’s charges were combined, and she was sentenced to 10 years probation.

Ponton said Lipsen is closing the shop and moving to Houston, where the judge will allow her to serve her probated sentence.

According to Lipsen, the shop will remain open.

The federal cases against Ilana Lipsen and her sister Ariele were also settled last week in federal court.

According to documents obtained from U.S. Attorney’s Office public affairs officer Daryl Fields, motions to dismiss federal charges levied on both sisters have been filed as long as they comply with terms of probation.

Ilana Lipsen was charged in the May 7 raid on the shop for the receipt of ammunition while under indictment for the previous raids.

Ariele Lipsen was charged during the same raid on accusations she had assaulted one of the officers involved in the raid, a charge which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment should the defendant be found guilty.

The dismissal of the charges will come following an 18-month period of deferred adjudication, should the motions be accepted by U.S. District Judge Robert Junell.

The charges could be re-filed if the defendants not comply with the conditions made in their pre-trial diversion agreements.

The agreements, Fields stresses, have not been finalized and “litigation is still pending against both defendants as jury selection is scheduled for November 3, 2014.”