Chipotle Marketing Exec Gets Caught In Major Cocaine Bust

One Chipotle executive might have been dealing with the Chipotle scare a little differently than many may except. According to the Associated Press, the chain’s executive, Mark Crumpacker, who was in charge of leading rebound efforts following the E.Coli scares was arrested Tuesday on charges of cocaine possession.

Crumpacker, the chief creative and development officer, was arrested for seven counts of cocaine possession. His arrest was part of a bigger cocaine bust that named 18 alleged “repeat customers” of a cocaine operation. The executive turned himself in on Tuesday because he was not in New York over the weekend.

Chipotle announced last week that Crumpacker had been placed on leave after his name appeared on a report in the New York Daily News which named the customers.

Crumpacker allegedly purchased cocaine on multiple occasions between Jan. 29 and May 14, which is when Chipotle was dealing with the E.coli outbreaks. The chains sales dropped 30 percent in the first quarter following the outbreak, and the chain has since been working on tactics to gain back its customer loyalty.

Crumpacker has been leading the marketing team to rebound sales for the Mexican Food Chain. Most recently he unveiled Chiptopia, a summer rewards program. According to the Securities and Exchange commission last year the executive’s pay package was $4.3 million.

The marketing exec was released on $4,500 bail and is set to next appear in court on Sept. 8, 2016.