Woman admits her part in drug growing operation

An Albrightsville woman admitted her part in a hallucinogenic mushroom growing operation in her home in Penn Forest Township.

Whitney Elizabeth McVicker, 23, pleaded to one count of possession of a controlled substance before Carbon Judge Steven R. Serfass on Tuesday.

McVicker and her boyfriend, Derek Miller, were arrested on Nov. 6, 2015, by state police at Fern Ridge, who responded to their residence at 19 Hiawatha Trail for a report of an unresponsive child.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, troopers responded to the residence where McVicker lived with Miller when she called to report that her 3-month-old son was unresponsive. Troopers said it was later determined that the child died between 5 and 10:30 a.m. that day.

As a result of that initial contact with the two, troopers obtained a search warrant later in the day for the home. The search then resulted in troopers finding a suspected hallucinogenic mushroom growing operation in the home.

McVicker was charged with the same drug counts as Miller, which included possession of a controlled substance; conspiracy — manufacture, delivery, or possession with intent to manufacture or deliver a controlled substance; manufacture, delivery, or possession with intent to manufacture or deliver a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

However, she was placed in the county’s Accelerated Rehabilitation Disposition probation program on the recommendation of the district attorney’s office. Police felt she was not directly involved in the growing operation.

She was revoked from the program after she tested positive for illegal substances.

She told Serfass, “The last two years have been hard. I had a lot of tragedy in my life.”

Serfass said McVicker lost a chance to have a clean record by not completing the ARD program. He said now she will have a criminal record for the rest of her life.

She was placed on probation for a year and ordered to get a drug and alcohol evaluation and follow any recommendation for treatment, zero tolerance for drug and alcohol use, render 50 hours of community service, pay court costs of about $1,000 and pay a $50 per month supervision fee.

On July 8, 2016, Miller pleaded to one count of possession of a controlled substance before Serfass. He was later placed on probation for a year with similar terms as McVicker.

No charges have been filed in connection with the infant’s death.