2 people arrested after psilocybin candy was given to children on Halloween – NBC 7 San Diego

An 80-year-old man and a 45-year-old man suspected of distributing psilocybin gummies, also known as “magic mushrooms,” to at least 15 children in Ocean Beach were taken into custody Wednesday after a search warrant was served at the home suspected of distributing the psychedelics.

Michael Goff, 80, and Shawn Michael Foster were arrested and booked into the San Diego County Jail. Goff was arrested on suspicion of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, while Foster is suspected of possessing both a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon.

No charges have been filed in connection with the psilocybin gummies, but San Diego police said officers discovered a bag of psilocybin gummies identical to those handed out on Halloween during a search Wednesday morning of the home in the 2100 block of Sunset Cliffs Boulevard.

Several bags of psilocybin-infused candy were left on the porch of a residence Saturday evening and were then taken by children ages 1 to 6, according to San Diego police.

Police said the children’s parents noticed the suspicious candy packages and, after inspecting them, suspected they contained controlled substances.

Frank Cary and Cameron Hunter were having a party with their children and several neighborhood families Saturday night when they discovered their children had obtained illegal drugs.

The parents said they were walking just a few feet behind their children when their children approached a porch with a bowl containing what appeared to be candy.

“My 2-year-old son walked over and grabbed one and started walking away with it in his hand,” Cary told NBC 7. “I noticed the picture had a giraffe and some words that looked like they were melting. I took it out of his hand and saw there was a dose on the front. Five grams, (then I) turned it over and it read ‘psilocybin mushrooms’.”

The parents then confronted the owners and subsequently filed a police report with the department, retaining the candy packages for evaluation by law enforcement, which later tested positive for psilocybin.

NBC 7 San Diego visited the home Monday and spoke to a man who said he lived in the home. The man, who identified himself as Shawn Barger, disputed the parents’ account of the situation. He said his wife was confused when strangers came to their door and confronted her about the packages.

After the search warrant was executed, detectives seized more than 2.5 pounds of cannabis, more than 25 grams of crystal methamphetamine, a functioning digital scale, packaging materials and drug sales records.

An illegally possessed rifle was also found at the residence, along with dozens of unfired cartridges and a partially assembled pistol.

Police say a San Diego code enforcement investigator responded to the scene to begin a separate investigation into unpermitted residential structures on the property.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact the Narcotics Unit at 619-531-2468. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.

City News Service contributed to this report.