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4 Wesleyan Students Arrested In Connection To Molly Overdoses
By
Jen Chung
Published Feb 25, 2015
Modified Feb 25, 2015
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Middletown Police
By
Jen Chung
Published Feb 25, 2015
Modified Feb 25, 2015
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Four Wesleyan University students were arrested for the Molly overdoses affecting 12 people on campus over the weekend. School president Michael Roth said, "The University immediately suspended the students pending a formal hearing. We take very seriously allegations concerning the distribution of dangerous drugs, and the University will continue to cooperate with state and local officials."
On Sunday morning, Middletown EMS responded to reports of ailing students. It was soon determined that 10 students and two visitors to the campus had overdosed on MDA (Molly). A number were hospitalized, with two in critical condition.
The Middletown, Connecticut police had the four students in the custody by 8 p.m. Police Chief William McKenna said last night, "Four search and seizure warrants have also been obtained from the court and have been executed at certain locations at and around the campus.
"This particular batch may have had a mixture of several kinds of designer drug chemicals, making the health risks unpredictable and treatment to combat the effects complex and problematic," he explained.
The Hartford Courant has details about the arrestees:
Eric Lonergan, 21, of Rio de Janeiro Brazil, charged with possession of a controlled substance and 16 counts of illegally obtaining or supplying drugs. His bond was set at $100,000.
Andrew Olson, 20, of Atascadero, Calif., charged with two counts of possession of a hallucinogen, one count of sale of a hallucinogen, possession of less than half an ounce of marijuana, possession of marijuana with intent to sell and possession of drug paraphernalia. His bond was set at $150,000 on the first three counts related to hallucinogens and $25,000 on the others.
Zachary Kramer, 21, of Bethesda, Md., charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a regulated substance and possession of less than half an ounce of marijuana. His bond was set at $75,000.
Rama Agha Al Nakib, 20, of Lutherville, Md., charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell, possession of drug paraphernalia and three counts of possession of a controlled substance. The bond was set at $100,000.
While some users of Molly may feel euphoria and less social anxiety, medical experts also warn that "when the potency is higher or the drug is actually not [Ecstasy or Molly] at all and it's something else, we can see toxicity like high blood pressure, high heart rate, high body temperature that can progress all the way to seizures and coma and multi-system failure."
Roth's letter to students also noted, "We are relieved to know that all but two of the students hospitalized over the weekend have been released and are doing much better. And I am pleased to report that the two students who remain at Hartford Hospital have made progress. We continue to be hopeful about their recovery, and we ask you to keep them in your thoughts and prayers."
The school president continued, "We are a community that values freedom. None of us want to see arrests on our campus, but even less do we want to see ambulances rushing from our residences with students whose lives are in danger."
A Wesleyan spokeswoman said they were working on educating the community, "The drug ‘Molly’ is widespread and becoming increasingly more prevalent on college campuses nationwide. Following the student hospitalizations in September, Wesleyan's Health Services Department emailed information to all students warning about the dangers of the drug."
Tagged
connecticut
drug overdoses
mdma
Molly
weslyan university
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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