Brooklyn man indicted for assaulting state investigator at illegal weed store

February 9, 2024 Robert Abruzzese, Courthouse Editor

Big Chief was an unlicensed dispensary located at the corner of 74th Street and 3rd Avenue in Bay Ridge. It was closed down in December, even as other illicit shops continue to operate within two blocks of Big Chief.
Photo: Robert Abruzzese/Brooklyn Eagle

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Arjante Moss, a 27-year-old Brooklyn resident, faces serious charges after allegedly assaulting a New York State Department of Taxation and Finance investigator. The investigator was executing a closure order on Big Chief Exotics Smoke Shop in Bay Ridge, where Moss was employed.

Moss was charged on Thursday with second-degree assault, obstructing governmental administration and harassment. If convicted of the top charge, he could face up to seven years in prison. During his arraignment before Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun, Moss pleaded not guilty and was released on bail, with a court return date set for March 20, 2024.

The incident occurred on Dec. 18, 2023, when the Finance Supervising Investigator, acting on an order from the Attorney General’s Office, attempted to shut down the store for selling unlicensed cannabis products. According to the DA’s office, Moss reacted by physically pushing the investigator out of the store and injuring him by closing the door on his arm. The investigator sustained bruises but was treated and released from NYU Langone Hospital.

Big Chief was closed that day while other illicit shops in the neighborhood continued to operate without interruption, including an illicit bakery located on 73rd Street.

The Big Chief Exotics Smoke Shop had previously been targeted by the Office of Cannabis Management for selling unlicensed products, resulting in seizures and notices of violation.