Teenager arrested for alleged drug plot | Western Colorado

Two 18-year-olds and a 17-year-old are accused of carrying out a plot to sell chocolate bars containing psilocybin mushrooms and marijuana concentrate via Instagram.

According to arrest affidavits, the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office discovered Instagram accounts promoting the sale of candy bars containing psilocybin mushrooms and marijuana concentrate and linked them to the 17- and 18-year-olds.

According to the affidavits, images of firearms were also posted on the accounts.

According to the affidavits, the three people staged a “stash and dash,” in which a small amount of drugs is hidden in a public place at Bookcliff Middle School where it can be found by others.

Police conducted a traffic stop on one of the 18-year-olds and found cash and marijuana concentrate. The 18-year-old told police he and the 17-year-old were selling marijuana concentrate and the other 18-year-old was selling psilocybin mushrooms, the affidavits say.

Police executed a search warrant for the other 18-year-old’s home and found chocolate bars containing psilocybin mushrooms, suspected LSD pills, THC vaporizer cartridges, cash and a .22 rifle, according to the affidavits.

The 18-year-olds are charged with drug possession with intent to resell, a Level 2 drug felony, as well as special counts of resale within 1,000 feet of a school, weapons possession, conspiracy to resell and distribution pattern involving substantial income, skill and knowledge. They are also charged with merit in convicting minors.

The two 18-year-olds appeared in court for the first time on Thursday.

Attorney Richard Perez, who represents one of the 18-year-olds who turned 18 in April, said his client’s age should play a role in the court’s bail setting and his client should be given a personal bond.

“If this had happened just a few months ago, I would be advocating for his release, not a PR bail,” Perez said.

Perez said the 18-year-old’s detention could harm him emotionally and psychologically.

Due to the seriousness of the charges, Judge Michael Grattan set bail at $15,000.

“We have guns and drugs,” Grattan said. “It’s dangerous.”

Grattan set bail at $5,000 for the other, who turned 18 in early June.

Grattan said he would normally set a higher bail for such charges, in the range of $50,000 to $100,000, but there are mitigating circumstances.

The 18-year-old’s attorney, public defender Olivia Williams, said the 18-year-old is in juvenile court in another case and is disabled.

“He is very scared. This is his first time in prison,” Williams said.

Williams asked Grattan for personal bail, pointing out that the drugs involved were psilocybin and marijuana.

After setting bail, Grattan asked the 18-year-old if he wanted Grattan to appoint a public defender to represent him.

The 18-year-old turned to Williams and asked: “Do I have to do this, should I do this?” to which Williams replied in the affirmative. Grattan appointed a public defender.

The court date for the two 18-year-olds is scheduled for July 12.