Atlantic City's Director of Constituent Services, Kashawn McKinley, who has referred to himself as the city's “cannabis czar,” has been charged by complaint with honest services fraud and two counts of soliciting bribes. Federal prosecutors allege McKinley took more than $20,000 in cash and marijuana in exchange for helping a local weed store owner cut a deal on city fees, get the business open, and even arrange for someone to be assaulted.
According to NJ.com, McKinley allegedly solicited the bribes in exchange for helping the store owner open the business, pay reduced annual city fees, and have another person assaulted. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey reported the charges, and McKinley had an initial appearance before a federal magistrate judge.
Cash, Weed, and a Fee-Slashing Loophole
Prosecutors say McKinley received cash and marijuana in exchange for helping the owner open the business and resolve fees owed to Atlantic City. Part of the alleged scheme involved McKinley obtaining a micro cannabis business classification for the store, which the report notes allowed it to pay a $2,500 annual fee to renew its mercantile license. A standard cannabis business, by contrast, requires a $25,000 annual fee to renew that same license — a twentyfold difference that prosecutors say McKinley's alleged bribe helped the owner avoid.
The account of the scheme goes further, alleging McKinley directed the business owner to have another person assaulted in exchange for help resolving a fee dispute with the city. During the exchange, McKinley allegedly told the business owner, “You don't have to worry about nothing.” Prosecutors say McKinley later expressed pleasure after being shown what appeared to be a photograph of the injured victim.
Facing Decades in Prison and Steep Fines
The honest services fraud charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000, per the same account. Each of the two bribery-solicitation charges carries its own maximum of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, meaning McKinley theoretically faces decades of exposure if convicted on all counts.
McKinley, 42, holds two public roles in Atlantic City beyond his self-appointed “cannabis czar” title: he serves as the city's Director of Constituent Services and sits as a member of the Atlantic City school board. Neither Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small Sr. nor Atlantic City Board of Education President Shay Steele could be reached for comment on Thursday evening, and McKinley's attorney could not be reached for comment immediately, the outlet reported.
The case remains in its earliest stages, with McKinley having appeared before a federal magistrate judge on the complaint. No plea, trial date, or other final court outcome has been reported, and the identity of the cannabis business or its owner has not been made public in the available reporting.
