Some of the items seized in North County.
The U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of California, says the pictures tell the story: At least three kids — two of them the defendants 9- and 11-year-old — were photographed holding psilocybin mushrooms grown and harvested by a Fallbrook couple and a friend.
Law enforcement officials arrested Randal Vance, 42, and his 41-year-old wife, Rebecca Vance, as well as Randal's friend Keir Ceballos-Rivera, 33, on Wednesday, and, the following day, they were indicted in federal court on a host of felonies, including conspiracy to employ or use minors to violate the Controlled Substances Act, a charge that carries with it a sentence of up to 40 years in prison; as well as conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance; distribution of a controlled substance to minors; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense; and conspiracy to obstruct justice.
On Thursday, prosecutors told the judge that the Vances' two children were engaged in harvesting the magic mushrooms at two different locations, on Ash Street in Fallbrook and Lilac Road in Bonsall.
Prosecutors made a series of shocking allegations in court:
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- "… Randal Vance informed customers and co-conspirators that the minors assisted him in producing psilocybin. For example, on or about Oct. 18, 2023, Vance texted a photograph of one of the minors holding a large psilocybin mushroom in front of his face at the Ash Street location and said that the '11-year-old helps me grow them'
- "One of the minors informed Randal Vance on May 31, 2024, that he was selling a psilocybin capsule to a friend for $3. At the time, the boy was a student at Lincoln Middle School in Oceanside. Randal Vance responded: 'Nice! Make sure your friend’s parents don’t find out or you and I are in big, big trouble.'
- Randal Vance boasted of dosing the children with psilocybin and advised others to do likewise, the indictment said. For example, on or about Oct. 13, 2023, Randal Vance messaged a co-conspirator a photo of one of the minors holding a large psilocybin mushroom and stated that an 11-year-old 'cultivates and microdoses. It’s good for kids’ brains.' Later in the conversation, Randal Vance identified the other minor as 9 years old and said, 'Yeah, I usually do a half dose of microdose capsules for them' and '.05 every other day for them. It’s such a difference too.'
- "Ceballos-Rivera sent Randal Vance a photograph of another child at the Ash Street location holding a large psilocybin mushroom and covering part of his/her face on or about Sept. 7, 2024. Ceballos-Rivera wrote: 'From earlier today haha' and 'No face, no case. "
When local law enforcement officers searched the two locations back in October, they allegedly seized more than 225 pounds of fresh mushrooms and 78 pounds of dried mushrooms, as well as 40 pounds of psilocybin chocolate bars, and paraphernalia to grow and process magic mushrooms. They also recovered a Glock 34 pistol, a Walther P22 pistol, a Henry Survival AR7 rifle, a Smith & Wesson revolver, an H&R Model 900 revolver and a Browning 30-06 rifle from the Lilac Road location, none of which were secured. Also, loaded magazines were found next to the pistols, prosecutors said.
The U.S. Attorney's office said that after Randal bailed out on state charges but before he was arrested this week, he and his federal co-defendants conspired to destroy evidence on their phones and took down websites used to distribute the mushrooms.
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Both Vances are being held without bail after Judge Valerie E. Torres granted a request from prosecutors, who argued that the couple represents a flight risk. Ceballos-Rivera is due in court for a detention hearing on Tuesday.
