First of eight suspects in vape store sting headed to grand jury
Published 5:22 pm Monday, June 23, 2025
Oumar Hammety, one of eight suspects accused of selling marijuana at four Smithfield vape stores, will be the first to see his case reach an Isle of Wight County grand jury.
Hammety, 26, of Newport News, was the sole clerk on duty when town police raided the now-shuttered Tobacco & Vape store in the Smithfield Square shopping center on South Church Street on Feb. 10. He’s charged with one felony count and one misdemeanor count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana.
The grand jury is set to consider his case on July 14, according to the latest court filings. If the grand jury returns a “true bill,” which finds sufficient evidence to move the case forward, Hammety will be back in Isle of Wight County Circuit Court on July 23 for his arraignment, where he’ll enter a plea of guilty, not guilty, or no contest to each charge.
A 2021 change in state law decriminalized possession of up to an ounce and the growing of up to four marijuana plants at homes for personal use, but retail marijuana sales remain illegal in Virginia.
Police say they seized nearly $40,000 worth of suspected marijuana from the four vape stores following a four-month undercover investigation. According to court filings, Hammety allegedly sold 2 grams, or 0.07 ounces, of marijuana on Feb. 5 to an undercover officer.
Police say they found 3½ pounds of marijuana at that store, including “more than an ounce of leafy marijuana and multiple other marijuana products on display,” scales and packaging materials. A lab report from the state Department of Forensic Science included with the court filings identifies the contents of a sealed paper bag, a Ziploc plastic bag, three plastic bags and a metal container found at the store as marijuana.
Hammety is represented by attorney Matthew Ballard.
The other seven suspects, six of whom have pending preliminary hearing dates in Isle of Wight General District Court, are Aiman Alghazali, Ali Alkotaini, Wail Almaleki, Kelsey Ewell, Abdulla Yahya, Amin Zandani and Helal Omar Zokari. Zokari remains at large.
Zandani, who owned the shuttered Tobacco & Vape store at 13404 Benns Church Blvd., and his clerk, Aiman Alghazali, are each scheduled to appear in General District Court on July 10. Both are represented by attorney Anton Karpov, who said at a recent Smithfield Planning Commission meeting on whether to allow Zandani to reopen that Zandani believed he was selling “imitation” products.
Zandani faces a single felony count of possession with intent to distribute. Alghazali, who is listed in court filings as “Aiman Yahya Abdullah Alghzali,” faces two felony counts and two misdemeanor counts of possession with intent to distribute. Police say they found 6.2 pounds of marijuana at that store.
Alkotaini, who owned the former Planet Tobacco & Mart on South Church Street, and his clerk, Yahya, are each scheduled for Aug. 7 General District Court appearances. Alkotaini faces a single felony count of possession with intent to distribute, while Yahya faces one felony and one misdemeanor count. Both are represented by attorney Warren Kozak.
Police say they found 11.2 ounces of marijuana at Planet Tobacco, which is in the process of reopening as “Planet Mini Mart.” The reopened store will operate as a convenience store rather than a “recreational substance establishment,” as defined in the town code.
Ewell, a clerk at the shuttered Discount Vape & Tobacco at 1264 Benns Church Blvd., faces two felony counts and two misdemeanor counts of possession with intent to distribute. Police say they found 20 ounces of marijuana at the store. Ewell is also represented by Kozak and due to appear in General District Court on Aug. 7.
