South Dakota man arrested after his mom accidentally serves pot brownies to seniors
Michael James Koranda, 46, is charged with possession of a controlled substance, authorities say.
Jan. 13, 2022, 10:48 PM UTC
By Antonio Planas
A South Dakota man was arrested after his mother unwittingly served his marijuana brownies at a senior center, authorities said.
The man, Michael James Koranda, 46, of Tabor, was arrested Jan. 5, a day after the Bon Homme County Sheriff's Office began investigating reports of "possible poisonings" at the Tabor Community Center, a deputy wrote in a probable cause affidavit.
Koranda, who faces a charge of possession of a controlled substance, declined to comment Thursday afternoon.
"An investigation into the incident led me to believe that the patients were all under the influence of THC from a batch of brownies that were brought to the Community Center" by the suspect's mother, the affidavit said.
Koranda's mother told Sheriff Mark Maggs that "her son Michael had baked a pan of brownies and she took them to the Community Center card game," the affidavit said.
Koranda's mother handed over the rest of the brownies, the affidavit said.
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The deputy who wrote the affidavit said he spoke to two people who ate the brownies at the senior center. They said they learned that Koranda had been in Colorado, where recreational marijuana is legal for people 21 and older, over the weekend and returned with marijuana products, the affidavit said.
"Michael admitted to bringing 1 pound of THC butter to make the pan of brownies and then went to bed, and his mother unknowingly took the brownies to the card game where several people ate them," according to the affidavit. "Michael said the remaining half pound of butter was still at his house."
Koranda turned the remaining THC butter over to investigators, the affidavit said.
Court records show that Koranda was released on $3,000 bond. A representative for the county's clerk's office said Koranda had not retained an attorney.
NBC affiliate KTIV of Sioux City, Iowa, reported that Koranda is a teacher with the Bon Homme School District. No one with the district could be reached for comment Thursday afternoon.
What appears to be Koranda's LinkedIn page describes him as a "K-12 Vocal Music Educator" in the district.
Attempts to speak to someone with the Tabor Community Center were unsuccessful Thursday.
Antonio Planas
Antonio Planas is a breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital.