Illegal Mushrooms A Growing Concern In Charlotte

POSTED: 6:05 pm EDT May 4, 2004

UPDATED: 9:46 am EDT May 5, 2004

CHARLOTTE, N.C. --

Psychedelic mushrooms, a potent hallucinogen of the '60s, may be making a comeback in Charlotte. A recent police raid turned up a record crop of the illegal mushrooms.

"The mushrooms are not safe and shouldn't be consumed," said Capt. Tim Jayne of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department. "The side effects are detrimental."

Jayne, who heads up Charlotte's vice unit said he received a tip that led him to a house in east Charlotte. When officers smelled marjuana, they got a search warrant. It was during the search that they discovered mushrooms placed in jars in a back room.

"We were a bit surprised," said Jayne. "It was a grow operation -- manufacturing the product by growing in the the house."

Investigators estimated around 50,000 grams -- or about 100 pounds -- of the hallucinogenic mushrooms.

"Many people who use mushrooms are young," said Wally Gilewski, who's worked for years in drug treatment. "Some are very young and are just beginning to experiment with drugs. We deal with children from 13 to 17 years of age who start with these mushrooms and go from there."

Darrell Stilwell an example of someone who fits Gilewski's profile. He used mushrooms when he was young and said that many kids in high school were doing the same.

"I wouldn't say it was harmless," said Stilwell. "I may have tried it three times in my entire life."

Studies show that mushrooms can be dangerous and even deadly.

Police say that they find the illegal mushrooms mostly at concerts although they do turn up during some drug raids.

To date, only one person has been charged in connection with the east Charlotte drug bust.

During the raid, which was precipitated by purchases made by the department, investigators seized 7.2 grams of cocaine, 57 grams of marijuana, 20.4 grams of psychedelic mushrooms, two Oxycodone pills and five methadone pills.

Christopher Paul Godbey, 27, of 211 S. Link St., was charged with possession of Psilocyban mushrooms, possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine and possession of cocaine.

Police charged David Jordan Semple, 21, of the same address, with possession of psilocyban mushrooms, possession of marijuana and possession of Oxycodone and methadone.

Salisbury Police Sgt. Sam Russell said this is the first case the department has seen in at least five years involving illegal mushrooms. "We've been hearing rumors of people using them,"he said.

These are not the type of mushrooms springing up in people's yards lately.

The psilocyban found in certain mushrooms is a hallucinogen which produces effects similar to LSD. The mushrooms that contain psilocyban generally grow in tropical climates such as South America or Mexico, Russell said, reading from information from the National Drug Intelligence Center.

The mushrooms found in the Link Street apartment had apparently not been grown there, the sergeant said.

When officers searched the apartment, they found most of the drugs sitting in the open, Russell said. The mushrooms -- worth about $200 on the street -- sat on top of a scale.

Both men were placed into the Rowan County Detention Center, Godbey with a $15,000 bond and Semple with a $5,000 secured bond. The men made their first court appearances on Monday.

Quizno's Employee Accused of Selling Mushrooms
September 13, 2007 - ABC

Raleigh police made a drug bust in an unlikely place -- a Quizno's sub shop.

According to search warrants, an employee was selling mushrooms at the restaurant and it wasn't the kind you put on a sandwich.

A confidential informant bought mushrooms and pot at the store. Investigators say the owner allowed the employee to store the drugs in a safe.

Officers confiscated more than a half of a pound of the drug.

Ashville, North Carolina

November 1, 2007-1

Police file 22 charges at Widespread Panic show

published November 1, 2007 9:45 am

ASHEVILLE – City police filed 20 drug-related charges from Wednesday night’s Widespread Panic show at the Civic Center.

The charges are broken down as follows:

-Five for schedule I controlled substances, which includes LSD and psilocybin mushrooms.

-Three for schedule II controlled substances, which includes cocaine.

-Seven for schedule VI controlled substances, which includes marijuana.

-Two maintaining a vehicle to store drugs and three possession of drug paraphernalia charges were filed. Two resisting officer charges also were filed.

Police seized 340 hits of LSD; 26 dosage units of ecstasy; 7.5 grams of psilocybin mushrooms, along with a chocolate cookie and brownie laced with mushrooms; 1.8 grams of schedule II controlled substances; 19.9 grams of schedule VI controlled substances; 25 glass smoking pipes; one package of rolling papers; 10 inhalers and one Honda Accord.

http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071101/NEWS01/71101018

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12/03/2004 By Jerry Sena

Appalachian State University Police arrested two ASU students on felony and misdemeanor drug charges, according to a statement released by university police, Thursday.

Policed charged Matthew Conor Byrnes, 18, with one misdemeanor and nine felony drug counts, including possession of 86 grams (three ounces) of marijuana, 180 grams of psilocybin mushrooms, and seven grams of cocaine.

Byrnes’s roommate, Andrew Lee Martin, 19, was also arrested and charged with misdemeanor possession of half an ounce or less of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Byrnes faces three additional felony counts for storing the drugs in his Justice Hall dormitory room and three more felonies, one each for suspected sale of the three drugs.

ASU police said they were tipped off to the alleged drug activities by a call from the residence hall staff following a routine health and welfare inspection.

Byrnes was taken to the Watauga County Detention Center in Boone, where he is reportedly being held pending an $18,000 secured bond.

His initial hearing is scheduled for Jan. 5 in the Watauga County District Court.

Martin makes his first court appearance Dec. 22, though police made no indication of his detention or bond status.

University police said they’d also confiscated $600 in cash, a digital scale and liquor during their search of the students’ room. Neither defendant is of age to legally possess or consume alcohol. Authorities have not said whether further charges were pending.

Justice Hall is named for former North Carolina General Assembly member E. J. Justice. The men’s dormitory is located on the west side of campus, at the corner of Rivers Street and Stadium Drive. Described by ASU literature as a smoke-free house, Justice Hall’s rooms are about 18 by 12 feet, contain two beds, and share a common walk-in closet.

University literature also notes the presence of security monitors for each floor

The arrests come almost exactly a month after the Oct. 21 murder of ASU senior Joey McClure, whose slaying Watauga County Sheriff’s investigators suspect is linked to drug trafficking.

• Jerry Sena may be contacted at jtsena@wataugademocrat.com.