Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced that on November 18, 2024, Margaret Whalen, 60, of Lacey Township, pled guilty to Possession of Psilocin Mushrooms with Intent to Distribute, Employing a Juvenile in a Drug Distribution Scheme, and Endangering the Welfare of a Child, before the Honorable Dina M. Vicari, J.S.C. At the time of Whalen’s sentencing on January 10, 2025, the State will be seeking a term of four years New Jersey State Prison (NJSP) as to the Possession with Intent to Distribute charge, five years NJSP as to the Employing a Juvenile in Drug Distribution charge, and five years NJSP with respect to the Endangering the Welfare of a Child charge. The sentences are to run concurrently.
In March 2024, Officers from the Lacey Township Police Department were alerted by the Division of Child Protection and Permanency that they had received information that Whalen was utilizing her residence on Elwood Street to manufacture and distribute psilocin mushrooms. On March 13, 2024, Detectives from the Lacey Township Police Department and Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit executed a court-authorized search warrant on the subject residence. As a result, Detectives seized several jars containing suspect psilocin mushrooms. The seized samples were forwarded to the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation laboratory for testing. On May 23, 2024, Detectives received the laboratory results indicating that the samples seized during the court-authorized search tested positive as psilocin mushrooms.
An investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit and Lacey Township Police Department revealed that Whalen manufactured and distributed psilocin mushrooms from her residence during the time she was the legal guardian of three minor children who resided at the residence with her. Further investigation revealed that Whalen employed one of the minors in her scheme to manufacture and distribute the narcotics.
On June 4, 2024, Whalen was charged with the aforementioned charges; she was taken into custody on June 5, 2024 by Detectives from the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit and Lacey Township Police Department. Whalen was transported to the Ocean County Jail, and subsequently released as a consequence of New Jersey Bail Reform.
Prosecutor Billhimer acknowledges the diligent efforts of Assistant Prosecutor Stephen Burke who is handling the case on behalf of the State, and commends the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victim’s Unit, Lacey Township Police Department Detective Bureau, Lacey Township Police Department, Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit, and Division of Child Protection and Permanency, for their combined and collaborative efforts in connection with this investigation leading to Whalen’s guilty pleas, and soon her state prison sentence.