A Mentor man is accused of stealing a controversial but legal drug from Discount Tobacco and then punching the manager in the face when he tried to stop him.

Mentor Police say Benjamin Ailstock, 33, came into the store at about 7:30 p.m. Monday.

He asked the clerk for something called Nugz, a synthetic cannabinoid that is marketed as incense, Mentor Police Lt. Tom Powers said.

Such cannabinoids have recently come under fire. Many brands, though not all, will become illegal in October. In fact, Lake County Common Pleas Court Judge Joseph Gibson recently criticized a tobacco and beverage store for selling them.

Ailstock took the incense and left the store without paying, Powers said. When the store manager tried to stop him, Ailstock punched him, knocked the man down and walked away.

Soon thereafter, police received a call about a man who was passed out by the intersection of Lake Shore Boulevard and Thistlewood Drive. It was Ailstock. Furthermore, the clerk identified him as the person who had stolen the Nugz, Powers said.

Ailstock was charged with robbery, a second-degree felony. Mentor Municipal Court Judge John Trebets set his bond at $50,000, which was not posted.

If convicted of robbery, Ailstock could face between two and eight years in prison.

The following arrest information was supplied by the Mentor Police Department. It does not indicate a conviction. For questions about this story, email jason.lea@patch.com.