Glendale smoke shop workers allegedly sold tobacco products to minors
Two smoke shop workers are feeling the heat after Glendale police say they sold tobacco products to underage high school students.
According to a statement from the Glendale Police Department, investigators became aware of the workers, employed at separate stores, after receiving an anonymous tip.
The first worker to be arrested was Kylee Chaidez, a 19-year-old from Glendale, who police began to investigate on Sept. 11. According to police, detectives encountered a minor that day who exited a store in the 1200 block of East Colorado Street after having purchased tobacco products.
Chaidez is believed to have been the clerk who sold the products to the minor.
The second worker identified in the statement was Krikor Kozian, a 23-year-old from Tujunga, who worked at a shop in the 2600 block of Honolulu Avenue in the La Crescenta-Montrose area.
Detectives began to investigate the shop on Dec. 11 and eventually concluded that Kozian was selling vape and tobacco products to minors, according to police.
Chaidez and Kozian were arrested separately on suspicion of furnishing tobacco products to minors.
Police said in the statement the two workers are believed to be responsible for a majority of vape and tobacco products sold to students at Glendale and Crescenta Valley high schools. However, Kaila Olander, a spokesperson for the department, said she didn’t know how many students bought the products.
