A Colorado man has admitted guilt in connection with a 15-year-old’s death after the teenager fell from a construction crane in Boulder last year.
On Friday, Benjamin Harmon pleaded guilty to two counts of distributing a controlled substance to a minor (Schedule I or II), sexual exploitation of a child, and attempted money laundering.
The incident happened on June 20, 2024, at a construction site on the western edge of the University of Colorado Boulder campus. According to a grand jury indictment, the teenager fell “from an extreme height” while “experiencing strong hallucinogenic effects” of psilocybin mushrooms purchased from Harmon three days earlier. The Boulder County Coroner’s Office confirmed the presence of Psilocin, the psychoactive compound in many mushrooms, in the teen’s blood.
The Boulder District Attorney’s Office said the grand jury investigation confirmed Harmon sold psilocybin to the teen and uncovered 19 additional child victims. Prosecutors said Harmon sexually assaulted one victim and obtained sexual abuse materials from another.
All the victims were high school students in Boulder County.
Harmon was arrested on Oct. 19, 2024, after his indictment.
“The CU Boulder Police Department would like to thank the Boulder County District Attorney’s Office for its rigorous pursuit of justice in this case,” said CUPD Chief Ashley Griffin. “CUPD is committed to protecting our campus and surrounding community, and we will continue working tirelessly with our partners to ensure that those who exploit and harm others are held fully accountable.”
On Friday, a judge sentenced Harmon to 35 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections.
District Attorney Michael Dougherty said, “The teenager who died was loved by his family and friends. He had his whole life in front of him, until the defendant began preying upon him and other high school kids. Although this guilty plea and sentence is what the family wanted from the criminal case, the outcome will never fill the void caused by this defendant. I want to thank the law enforcement and prosecutors who worked tirelessly to advance this investigation. But for their efforts, this criminal prosecution would never have happened; it would have been classified as a tragic fall. Because of them, the true nature and depth of the defendant’s conduct was discovered and he was brought to justice.”
This article has been carefully fact-checked by our editorial team to ensure accuracy and eliminate any misleading information. We are committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity in our content.
Katie is a senior who has been on staff for three years. Her favorite type of stories to write is reviews and features. Katie’s favorite ice cream flavor is strawberry.
Leave a Reply