20 Past 4 & More owner charged with dealing marijuana disguised as legal hemp

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The owner of 20 Past 4 and more, a smoke shop with locations in Indianapolis and Fort Wayne, is facing multiple charges after investigators say he sold marijuana packaged to look like legal hemp products.

Jonathan T.B. Miller, 55, of Fort Wayne, was charged with two counts of dealing in marijuana, corrupt business influence, money laundering, dealing in paraphernalia, and unlawful distribution of flavored nitrous oxide.

Miller owns five 20 Past 4 and more stores, two in Indianapolis and three in Fort Wayne.

His stores are at the following locations:

• 3500 N. Clinton St., Fort Wayne
• 2014 Broadway, Fort Wayne
• 5948 W. Jefferson Blvd, Fort Wayne
• 3433 Madison Ave., Indianapolis
• 2415 E. 56th St., Indianapolis

According to probable cause affidavit filed in Allen County, Indiana State Excise Police opened an investigation in Jan. 2026. After receiving tips that the stores were selling marijuana, undercover officers were sent in to make controlled purchases.

At the Clinton St. store, an officer bought a product called “Tea House Compton Candy,” labeled at 26.61% THC. It later tested at 7.611% Delta-9 THC — more than 25 times Indiana’s legal limit of 0.3%. The lab documents attached to the product were missing a batch number and expiration date, both required under Indiana law, documents revealed.

On Feb. 21, Excise Police raided the Indianapolis store at 2415 E. 56th St. Every plant material seized tested over the legal limit, and the store received a notice of violation for possession of marijuana, dealing marijuana, and dealing smokeable hemp. Miller later told investigators he began pulling plant material from his stores after that raid.

Undercover purchases continued into April, documents show. Products purchased continued to test far over the legal limit of THC.

On June 22, officers executed search warrants at all three Fort Wayne stores and two warehouses. Miller was found at the warehouse on Virginia Avenue working with mason jars of yellow wax.

According to the affidavit, Miller told police the wax contained THC during a mirandized interview. He admitted he sources flower and wax from California, breaks it into smaller packages and sells it in his stores. Lab documents, he said, comes from his suppliers.

Additionally, through a seized cell phone, police found evidence that Miller knew his products were illegal, including his attempts to use falsified lab documents as cover, according to the affidavit.

In a store documents, labeled as “Weekly Team Focus,” police found a section under “Up-sale focus” that listed flower and dab bar. The affidavit indicates, one of the store managers told police they knew they couldn’t sell this plant material.

“We know we’re dancing in the gray area,” Miller told police. “With all the competition, just trying to be the best, I guess.”

More than 20 pounds of wax concentrate and 62 pounds of plant material were seized across all locations. Several pallets full of flavored nitrous oxide that were found, which is illegal in Indiana, were also mentioned in court documents.

Business records show at least $120,014.71 in profit from illegal THC sales between January 2025 and June 2026.

Miller is being held on $100,000 surety bond. His initial hearing is Sept. 18.

About The Author

See author's posts