State seeks to take possession of Studio 420, Liquid Courage in Alton after police raid
Court documents say Zachary Yinger's businesses illegally sold cannabis.
The Madison County State's Attorney's Office filed documents Wednesday to take possession of several properties, vehicles and almost $400,000 cash stemming from a police raid at Studio 420 and Liquid Courage in the 1100 block of E. Broadway in Alton. The raids occurred in late March and were the result of suspected illegal cannabis operations.
The documents filed by the state's attorney's office are called a forfeiture count.
The court documents also provide information regarding the March 29 search warrants at Studio 420 and Liquid Courage. The search warrants led to a stretch of Broadway being closed for much of the day.
Each forfeiture count is directed at Zachariah F. Yinger, owner of the businesses, and alleged that he and others were illegally selling cannabis from the stores.
The Telegraph attempted to reach Yinger for comment at his business Game Over in Alton, and multiple calls to the business only got a busy signal. Game Over is located at 1022 East Broadway in Alton, and it is not part of the forfeiture count.
Four of the forfeiture counts against Yinger related to the properties at 1126 E. Broadway, 1110 E. Broadway (Studio 420), 1104 E. Broadway (Liquid Courage), and 116 Cherry Street, all in Alton. The remaining count lists two vehicles, a 2022 Dodge Ram 1500 and a 2023 Ram Van; and cash totaling $388,199.57, in three separate bundles.
Alton Police Chief Jarrett Ford previously confirmed that beginning at about 9:30 a.m. on March 29, Alton police executed search warrants at several properties in the 1100 block.
According to affidavits included in the forfeiture counts, the Alton Police Department received “several anonymous tips that the owner, Zachariah Yinger, and employees at Studio 420 and Liquid Courage were selling illegal cannabis to customers."
On March 27, police conducted a series of controlled buys using confidential informants and undercover officers, going into the businesses and saying they “wanted to purchase some weed.”
Officers gather evidence during a March 29 raid at Studio 420, the S-Mart and a building used for storage across the street. On April 10 the Madison County State's Attorney's Office filed a series of forfeiture counts to seize the properties, vehicles and almost $400,000 in cash..
John Badman, The Telegraph
The sales were made, and the cannabis was tested.
During the execution of the search warrant on March 29 at Studio 420, $39,883.28 in cash, including the money used to purchase the cannabis, was recovered.
Similar purchases were made at Liquid Courage on March 27, and on March 29, $7,145.17 was seized at Liquid Courage.
Police were informed that the cannabis was processed at 1126 E. Broadway, and Yinger used 116 Cherry Street as a warehouse.
No charges have been filed, and the case remains under investigation.
Officials with the Madison County State's Attorney's Office declined to comment at this time.
