A Port Allegany man is facing allegations that he broke into an empty apartment and provided two juveniles with psilocybin mushrooms and marijuana.
Thomas D. Ford, 39, of 12 Wilson Ave., was arraigned Wednesday before District Judge William Todd on charges of possession with the intent to deliver a controlled substance, a felony; burglary and criminal trespassing, second-degree felonies; criminal use of a communication facility, a third-degree felony; corruption of minors, a first-degree misdemeanor; delivery of drug paraphernalia and recklessly endangering another person, second-degree misdemeanors; possession of a controlled substance and distributing a small amount of marijuana/not for sale, misdemeanors; and summary sale of tobacco.
The criminal complaint stated that Ford was in contact with a 14-year-old on Facebook, and he asked the teen on multiple occasions to meet him “to ‘smoke’ or ‘burn one’”; At one point, he said he could get the teen “an eighth.”
On multiple occasions from March 2020 through June 2020, Ford provided marijuana so he and the 14-year-old could smoke it, according to the complaint.
One a day in June, Ford allegedly bought cigarettes for the 14-year-old, then picked the lock of a vacant apartment on Harrison Street in Port Allegany. There, Ford smoked marijuana with the 14-year-old and an 11-year-old in the apartment’s bathroom, court records alleged.
When they left the apartment, the 11-year-old fell on the concrete while walking down the stairs, court records stated.
According to the complaint, Ford asked the two juveniles back to his apartment, where he provided them with marijuana and psilocybin mushrooms. He then allowed the juveniles to walk over a mile alone in the middle of the night to the place where they were staying while they were under the influence of controlled substances.
The 14-year-old reported that Ford made the two juveniles take drugs, the complaint alleged.
Ford is in McKean County Jail in lieu of $50,000 bail. A preliminary hearing is set for April 19.
