Hemp House in Medina shut down for selling unauthorized cannabis products

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 November 2025 at 11:33 am

Mitchell Kwandrans, left, and Marcus Verratti have both been charged with criminal possession of cannabis in the first degree.

MEDINA – The Hemp House and More in Medina has been shut down by the NYS Office of Cannabis Management for possessing and selling unauthorized cannabis products.

Two people, including the Hemp House owner, also are facing charges for criminal possession of cannabis in the first degree, which are class D felonies.

The Orleans County Major Felony Crime Task Force, Sheriff’s Department, Medina Police Department and the NYS Office of Cannabis Management on Nov. 5 executed search warrants at the Hemp House at 409 Main St. and at 2651 Angling Rd. in Ridgeway.

Police seized over 64 pounds of high-grade cannabis flower, 264 pounds of cannabis edibles, 97 THC vapes, 106 viles of THC wax, over 6 pounds of marijuana hash, 10-1000ml containers of THC concentrate distillate, over 1 pound of mushrooms (Pslocybin), and over $96,000 in cash.

The following were charged:

Mitchell Kwandrans, 38, of 2651 Angling Road in Medina for 4 counts of criminal possession of cannabis in the first degree.
Marcus Verratti, 40, of 905 West Ave. in Medina for 2 counts of criminal possession of cannabis in the first degree.

Kwandrans, owner of the Hemp House, and Verratti, a Hemp House employee, were taken to the Orleans County Jail for processing and issued appearance tickets for the Ridgeway Town Court on Dec. 6.

As a result of the items seized, the NYS Office of Cannabis Management closed the store for selling and possessing unauthorized cannabis products. These illicit cannabis products can pose a threat to public health and safety due to not being tested or approved by the Office of Cannabis Management, said Joe Sacco, the supervising investigator for the Major Felony Crime Task Force.

“New York State will not tolerate businesses selling illicit cannabis,” said Dan Haughney, Office of Cannabis Management director of enforcement. “We want to send a clear message that untested, unsafe products do not belong in our communities.”

He thanked the Orleans County Major Felony Crime Task Force, the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office, Orleans County District Attorney’s Office and the Medina Police Department for their partnership in the case.

Also assisting in the investigation were the U.S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration and the Albion Police K9 unit.

The investigation is ongoing and further charges are pending multiple lab results, Sacco said.

The Hemp House is the third business to be shut down in Orleans County for selling unauthorized cannabis products. The state also closed the Medina Smoke Shop at 335 North Main St. on Aug. 20 and the Albion Mini-Mart at 45 North Main St. on May 20.