El fiscal del condado de Ocean, Bradley D.. Billhimer anunció que en junio 4, 2024, Margarita Whalen, 60, del municipio de Lacey, was charged with Maintaining or Operating a Controlled Dangerous Substance Facility, Manufacturing Psilocybin Mushrooms, Posesión de hongos de psilocibina con intención de distribuir, Posesión de hongos de psilocibina, Employing a Juvenile in a Drug Distribution Scheme, y dos cargos de poner en peligro el bienestar de un niño.
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 psilocybin mushrooms. En marzo 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. Como resultado, Detectives seized several jars containing suspect psilocybin mushrooms. The seized samples were forwarded to the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation laboratory for testing. En mayo 23, 2024, Detectives received the laboratory results indicating that the samples seized during the court-authorized search tested positive as psilocybin mushrooms.
An investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit and Lacey Township Police Department revealed that Whalen manufactured and distributed psilocybin 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.
En Junio 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, donde se encuentra actualmente en espera de una audiencia de detención.
Prosecutor Billhimer commends the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victim’s Unit, Oficina de detectives del Departamento de Policía de Lacey Township, Departamento de policía del municipio de Lacey, Unidad de Investigación de la Escena del Crimen de la Oficina del Sheriff del Condado de Ocean, and Division of Child Protection and Permanency, for their combined and collaborative efforts in connection with this investigation.
Los cargos mencionados anteriormente son meras acusaciones y se recuerda a la prensa y al público que todos los acusados se presumen inocentes a menos y hasta que se demuestre su culpabilidad más allá de toda duda razonable en un tribunal de justicia..
RPC. 3.6(b)(6).