A Colorado man suspected of selling psilocybin mushrooms to 20 high school students in Boulder County — including a 15-year-old boy who later fell 145 feet from a crane on a construction site to his death after ingesting the mushrooms — is also accused of sexually assaulting at least one teen at gunpoint.
Benjamin Harmon, 24, faces a total of 40 charges, including 21 felonies for distributing drugs to minors, at times within 1,000 feet of a school, sexual assault on a child using force and sexual exploitation of a child, the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office said Wednesday.
He was arrested Oct. 19.
Authorities have notified the parents of the children involved, but fear there may be more victims in the case.
“The loved ones of the 15-year-old boy who was killed continue to suffer from a terrible and tragic loss,” District Attorney Michael Dougherty said. “The extensive investigation into his death has led the CU Police Department, Drug Task Force, and DA team to identify other kids being harmed and exploited through drug distribution conducted over a social media app. We are strongly committed to securing the right outcome in this case.”
The investigation was launched by the University of Colorado after Ames O’Neal died June 20 on the CU campus, the district attorney’s office said. The Boulder County Drug Task Force and District Attorney’s Office worked alongside university police to investigate his death.
The coroner’s office found O’Neal died from blunt force trauma at the Limelight Conference Center and Hotel under construction at the northeastern corner of Broadway and University Avenue, the Daily Camera reported. A toxicology report revealed he had psilocin, a substance found in psychedelic mushrooms, in his blood.
Authorities found Harmon communicated with the teen by phone to set up drug deals.
Harmon was initially arrested Aug. 8 for allegedly distributing a controlled substance to a minor and attempted distribution for showing up to sell to the boy a second time.
By looking at Harmon’s social media and bank account records, investigators found that Harmon distributed drugs to at least 19 other students, prompting a further investigation, the district attorney’s office said.
Court records show Harmon allegedly distributed drugs from October 2023 until Aug. 7, about 1½ months after O’Neal’s death.
Court records show Harmon is being held in jail on $2 million bond. His next court appearance is scheduled for Nov. 5.
Boulder County officials are urging anyone who is a victim of sexual assault perpetrated by Harmon, or know someone who is, to call CU’s non-emergency number at 303-492-6666.
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