In a recent development in Mississippi, a father-son duo working at a smoke shop in the state has been indicted by federal prosecutors in connection with one of the two tragic deaths of students from the University of Mississippi (commonly known as Ole Miss) last week.
Federal prosecutor Scott F. Leary from the Northern District of Mississippi announced on Friday, October 2nd that criminal charges have been filed against 51-year-old Yahya Mohamed Mosleh and 18-year-old Islam Yahya Mosleh for possession and intent to distribute a controlled substance related to the recent mysterious death of one of the Ole Miss students, Aidan Hamilton.
Investigators stated that the arrested father-son duo had been employed at a smoke shop suspected of selling illegal drugs to Hamilton.
The owner of the smoke shop, as reported by local media WDAM7, is Amer Alowdi, aged 40, who had been indicted in 2022 for trafficking controlled substances (synthetic kratom leaves and synthetic cannabinoids). However, he had fled the United States prior to his trial and had not faced prosecution.
The federal criminal complaint alleges that Lafayette County Metro Narcotics Unit tracked Hamilton’s bank records and discovered multiple purchases made at Puffs Vape, Tobacco and Beer Store in Oxford, where the university is located.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, an undercover informant purchased pills advertised as 7 O Kratom capsules from the store, leading to a search warrant executed on the shop on September 24. During the search, over 500 Kratom pills were seized, and the father-son duo was arrested for possession of a Schedule I controlled substance with intent to distribute.
The defense lawyers for the defendants have not been disclosed at this time.
Furthermore, based on the criminal complaint, investigators also traced the financial records of another deceased Ole Miss student, Robert Strang, who had made purchases at Express Mart #7 convenience store in Yalobusha County.
The complaint states that undercover officers visited the store, purchased similar pills to those found, and sent them to a crime lab for analysis. As of Friday, no individuals from the convenience store have been indicted, and the investigation is ongoing.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, on September 21, Aidan Hamilton, a freshman from Englewood, Colorado, was found dead on campus with packaging resembling Kratom derivatives, some of which were missing pills. The cause of death appeared consistent with a drug overdose.
An hour later, another Ole Miss student, Robert Strang, a junior from Atlanta, was found dead at a different location. Investigators also discovered packaging resembling Kratom derivatives in connection to his death.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office stated that Strang’s cause of death also aligns with characteristics of a drug overdose.
Kratom products contain chemicals that can enhance alertness, physical stamina, and sociability. At high doses, users may experience sedative effects. However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued warnings regarding the risks of addiction, mental health issues, and other severe adverse reactions associated with Kratom use, especially with concentrated synthetic 7-OH products.
Advocates are urging the FDA to implement stricter regulations and bans on these products.
Some regions in the U.S. have already prohibited the sale of Kratom, with Oxford, where Ole Miss is located, banning its sale, possession, and use since 2019.
Investigators have mentioned that toxicology reports for both death cases are still in progress.