‘Illegal’ psychedelic mushroom mini-farm found in home’s closet, NC sheriff says

The search for a homicide suspect went into a wildly different direction when deputies reported finding psychedelic mushrooms growing in a man’s closet.

Lincoln County deputies stumbled onto the “illegal grow operation” while executing a search warrant in the 7100 block of Lingerfelt Road in Vale, according to a June 12 news release.

Murder suspect Thomas Banks, 39, was also found and arrested in the vicinity, officials said. Banks is linked to the June 9 shooting of Rusty Johnson at a home on Dansbury Lane in Catawba County, officials said.

“During the search of the residence (on Lingerfelt Road), investigators located a psilocybin (mushrooms) grow operation inside of a closet,” the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office said.

“Investigators located several baggies of methamphetamine, marijuana and psilocybin packaged for sale, firearms, and drug paraphernalia. Investigators also located and seized items in reference to the homicide investigation.”

Joshua Donald Burns, 38, was arrested and has been charged with: manufacturing psilocybin; possession with intent to distribute psilocybin; possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and possession of marijuana, officials said. Bond was set at $100,000 secured bond, the sheriff’s office said.

“Psilocybin is a chemical in certain types of mushrooms that grow on nearly every continent,” the National Institute on Drug Abuse reports.

“Also known as shrooms or magic mushrooms, the mushrooms can cause people to experience distorted sights and sounds and lose their sense of time and space. People who take psilocybin may also feel intense emotions ranging from bliss to terror and may have physical side effects such as increased heart rate or nausea.”

Vale is about a 50-mile drive northwest from uptown Charlotte.