An ex-contestant of the American business reality program, Shark Tank, has been arrested after being charged with a number of drug-related offences.
Joseph “Joe” Parisi was apprehended at his home in Geneva, Ill. on Nov. 20, after he was found in possession of a variety of drugs with an estimated street value of more than US$80,000, the Kane County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) confirms to Global News.
The 31-year-old received a multitude of felony drug charges, including controlled substance trafficking, the manafacturing and delivery of ecstasy, possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of ecstasy, cocaine, psilocybin mushrooms, and cannabis.
Parisi is best known for appearing on Shark Tank in April 2017 alongside his close friend and business partner, Nick Neravez.
The pair pitched their personal safety and police dispatch device — the Guard Llama — before cutting a deal with host Barbara Corcoran.
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With the assistance of the Geneva Police Department and the U.S. Postal Inspectors, the KCSO were able to execute a search warrant last Wednesday at Parisi’s home after a package of “suspected ecstasy” from the Netherlands was seized by the Department of Homeland Security.
The search warrant was the result of a two-week investigation, according to the provided press release, which detailed that the package was sent to an unidentified recipient at an address on Kingston Dr., Geneva.
During the investigation, however, an additional parcel was intercepted by Homeland Security investigators. It contained approximately 55 grams of ecstasy and was addressed to the same person, but was mailed to a different address: on Fargo Blvd, Geneva.
The investigators allowed the package to go through, where Parisi later revealed himself as the mysterious recipient by claiming the package at the Fargo Blvd. address (his home).
Once the authorities caught wind of this, they executed their search warrant and found an additional amount of ecstasy, a small amount of cocaine, 65 grams of marijuana and seven grams of psychedelic mushrooms.
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Additionally, the initial package — sent to the Kingston Dr. address — was filtered back into the postal system and successfully delivered to the location. It was revealed that Parisi accepted packages at both locations.
After filing for another search warrant, authorities discovered the package and found that it contained close to 120 grams of ecstasy.
Throughout the course of the police investigation, two additional packages were intercepted by Homeland Security. Approximately 508 grams of ecstasy were discovered among them.
As of this writing, it’s unclear when or if Parisi will be seen in court, or if he’s serving a sentence. Global News has reached out to KCSO Sheriff Ron Hain seeking further clarification.
Global News has also reached out to a representative of Guard Llama seeking further comment on Parisi’s arrest.
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