Michael James Koranda, 46, faces a felony charge for possession of a controlled drug or substance after his mother accidentally served THC brownies that he had baked to senior citizens at Tabor Community Center in South Dakota.
On January 4, dispatchers received multiple calls pertaining to potential food poisoning. All of the affected individuals were centralized to the Tabor location, which led to an investigation conducted by the Bon Homme County Deputy Sheriff’s Office.
Within an affidavit, Deputy Sheriff Joel Neuman said, “An investigation into the incident led me to believe that the patients were all under the influence of THC from a batch of brownies that were brought to the Community Center.”
Two of the seniors who consumed the brownies identified the woman who brought them: Koranda’s mother.
The unsuspecting server revealed to Sheriff Mark Maggs, “Her son, Michael, had baked a pan of brownies; and, she took them to the Community Center card game.” She released the rest of the brownies to the Sheriff’s Office. Koranda was arrested the following day.
According to deputies, Koranda had recently visited Colorado–where marijuana is legal for individuals aged 21 years and older.
“Michael admitted to bringing 1 pound of THC butter (from Colorado back to South Dakota) to make the pan of brownies and then went to bed; and, his mother unknowingly took the brownies to the card game where several people ate them. Michael said the remaining half pound of butter was still at his house,” per the affidavit.
If convicted, Koranda’s felony could lead to a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Koranda was released on a $3,000 bond. He is set for a court appearance on January 25.
