DENVER — A 27-year-old man accused of operating a psychedelic mushroom operation from his Denver apartment and publicizing the activity through multiple media reports has caught the attention of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
DEA agents executed a search warrant on the Denver apartment unit of Kole Douglas Milner on September 11 and seized 906 live psilocybin mushrooms and 20.42 ounces of dried psilocybin mushrooms, according to court documents obtained by Denver7 Wednesday.
Milner has not been arrested, and charges have yet to be filed, U.S. Attorney’s Office Spokesperson Jeff Dorschner told Denver7. However, Dorschner said the investigation remains active and ongoing.
The DEA investigation appears to have started after agents read the numerous articles - published in the Denver Post, Westword, NPR and Vice - on efforts to decriminalize psychedelic mushrooms in Denver, passed by voters in May, and featured an unidentified Denver man, who the DEA said touted his admittedly illegal operation in the articles.
Using social media posts, information from the published reports and Colorado’s marijuana-industry employee database, DEA agents were able to link Milner to the articles and connect him to his Birch Street apartment, according to court documents.
Denver voters approved Initiative 301 in May, which decriminalized the use or possession of psilocybin by people 21 and older. However, psilocybin mushrooms are federally classified as an illegal drug by the DEA.
