Co-owner of troubled Kinston nightclub arrested
By Nick Hiltunen
Published in News on December 10, 2008 1:46 PM
KINSTON -- A co-owner of a Kinston nightclub allegedly sold marijuana to undercover agents, and was arrested this weekend after being found at the home of a friend, authorities there say.
Investigations Capt. Jim Oldenburg said the office had received complaints that Dana Jo Pusateri, 31, co-owner of Club 1 Over, had been selling marijuana.
Ms. Pusateri apparently was an employee of the club, formerly known as Next Door, when a former owner was charged on unrelated cocaine charges in July, Oldenburg said.
He added that others involved with the club supported Ms. Pusateri's part-ownership, and that she continued her employment at a related business, a pool club called Stratford Billiards, Oldenburg said.
Ms. Pusateri had worked at the billiards club -- originally named Passtimes -- since its name was changed after the unrelated cocaine bust in the summer, Oldenburg said.
The undercover buys, which included a total of six quarter-ounce bags of marijuana over two occasions, were not made within the confines of either club, Oldenburg said.
"We did not make the buys in her (Ms. Pusateri's) possession inside the club, they were done outside by an undercover," he said.
Agents of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission were involved with the investigation because the sale of marijuana is in violation of A.B.C. permit laws, he explained.
"We're submitting reports to the A.B.C. Commission," Oldenburg said.
On Saturday, Lenoir County Sheriff's Office deputies found Ms. Pusateri at the home of friend, Duncan Kelvin Daughety, 42, where she was allegedly smoking marijuana.
Daughety refused to allow police to search the residence, but Oldenburg said deputies had reason to believe that marijuana were being smoked inside, and sealed the scene until a search warrant could be obtained.
Ms. Pusateri was charged with two counts of possession with intent to sell or deliver marijuana and two counts of delivering marijuana, the captain said. He was jailed under a $30,000 bond.
Daughety was charged with misdemeanor possession of marijuana, maintaining a dwelling for the use of controlled drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia and was jailed under a $1,500 bond, authorities said.