'Molly' among the drugs found in Antioch bust
An Antioch couple have been charged with selling “Molly,” a drug that law enforcement officials say is surging throughout the Midwest, thanks in part to some musicians glorifying its use to teens.
Alexander Story, 24, and his wife, McKensie, 23, were arrested Tuesday and charged with multiple counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance for selling MDMA — also known as Molly — out of their residence in the 25000 block of Fox Avenue, Antioch police said.
More than 650 capsules and 42 grams of MDMA were confiscated during that bust, police said Thursday.
According to drugfree.org, Molly is short for molecule and slang for pure MDMA. The website states that Ecstasy is made when MDMA is mixed with caffeine or other drugs, such as methamphetamine.
The Drug Enforcement Administration considers MDMA to be a controlled substance, which means it has a high potential for abuse, and is not accepted use in medical treatment.
“We are seeing a resurgence of Ecstasy and Molly in a certain age group of kids in the Midwest,” said Jack Riley, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Division of the DEA. “It's going around at some of these techno concerts, and also because of Hollywood and some of the nation's esteemed music stars that have glamorized its use.”
Riley said many who use it think it's a recreational drug, but he added “No one knows for sure how it will react to every single person or how it will react when combined with other chemicals.”
In addition to the MDMA capsules and powder confiscated in the Antioch drug bust, Police Chief Craig Somerville said 15 squares of LSD, one gram of DMT and 4.39 grams of cannabis were found by police. The street value of the drugs seized is $50,000, he said.
Somerville said DMT is a chemical known to induce hallucinations and psychotic behavior in users. The Antioch couple was mixing DMT and MDMA in a capsule, and selling each pill for $25 to $80, he added.
A .410-gauge shotgun with ammunition, $4,200 in cash, various computers and electronics equipment were also seized by police, he said, along with a 2012 Chevrolet Cruze and a 2001 Volkswagen Jetta.
Miley Cyrus is one singer who is alleged to have glamorized Molly. TMZ.com reported in July that Cyrus admitted to referencing the drug in her song “We Can't Stop”.
“Make no mistake, there's nothing glamorous about (the drug),” Somerville said. “These are dangerous chemical concoctions being blended together and presented to our young people by unscrupulous individuals who have no concern for the effects it's having on the users.”
He said the user of Molly can experience accelerated heart rates, increased body temperatures, anxiety, paranoia, depression and confusion.
“While we have not encountered MDMA or DMT in the schools, we are working with the school districts to educate teachers and staff about these drugs,” Somerville said. “Parents are urged to do some research into the designer drugs. The more you can learn about these substances, the better equipped you will be to recognize them and their effects.”
Alexander and McKensie Story also face multiple charges of unlawful possession of a controlled substance, possession of a firearm without a FOID card and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Both are held in Lake County jail in lieu of $50,000 bail and are due in court Oct. 16. If found guilty of the most serious charge, both can be sentenced up to 50 years in prison.