A Fallbrook father who regularly dosed his young sons with the hallucinogen psilocybin and had them assist him in growing and distributing the drugs pleaded guilty Friday to federal charges.
Randal Vance, 43, of Fallbrook, was indicted by a grand jury along with his wife, Rebecca Vance, 42, and his friend, Keir Ceballos-Rivera, 34, for taking part in a conspiracy to cultivate and distribute the mushrooms, and have the boys participate in the process.
According to Randal Vance’s plea agreement, he was providing doses of psilocybin capsules every other day to his sons, then ages 9 and 11. He also gave his older son, 12 at the time, capsules to sell to friends, the plea agreement states.
The defendants produced psilocybin at a pair of locations in Fallbrook and Bonsall and sold them on the internet, on two websites and via an Instagram account, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Law enforcement officials searched the Fallbrook and Bonsall locations, seized psilocybin mushrooms and capsules, along with firearms and loaded magazines, and arrested the defendants.
Authorities then accused the suspects of deleting text messages and taking down websites used for drug sales, leading to charges of conspiracy to obstruct justice.
Randal Vance is set to be sentenced Sept. 18 at 9 a.m. by U.S. District Judge Robert S. Huie.
Rebecca Vance and Ceballos-Rivera, both of Oceanside, previously pleaded guilty. Her sentencing is set on July 17 with Ceballos-Rivera’s to follow on Aug. 28.
