In a sobering case that shocked Boulder County, 35-year prison sentence has been handed down to Benjamin Harmon after he pleaded guilty to crimes encompassing drug distribution to minors and sexual exploitation of a child, these developments come in the wake of an extensive investigation ignited by the tragic death of a 15-year-old from a fall at a construction site on University of Colorado property, according to Boulder County.
The University of Colorado Police Department, joined by the Boulder County Drug Task Force and the District Attorney’s Office, initially tackled the case, and it was through their determined joint efforts that led to Harmon's identification as the supplier of psilocybin to the deceased minor; Harmon also showed up for another drug deal, set up by law enforcement using the deceased minor’s cellphone, and this was only the tip of the iceberg as the investigation later uncovered Harmon's dealings with nineteen other children, which included further distribution of drugs as well as sexual assault and exploitation.
A grand jury, convinced by the weight of the evidence, indicted Harmon on forty counts, charges ranged from drug felonies to sexual violations against minors, with all victims confirmed as high school students within the county, as Bridget Kahn, District Attorney’s Office noted the critical cooperation between law enforcement and the distressed families during the legal process.
"The CU Boulder Police Department would like to thank the Boulder County District Attorney’s Office for its rigorous pursuit of justice in this case," said CUPD Chief Ashley Griffin, as per Boulder County, acknowledging the collaborative determination to see justice served, Harmon's guilty plea included two counts of Distribution of a Controlled Substance to a Minor – Schedule I or II (DF1), Sexual Exploitation of a Child (F3), and Criminal Attempt to Commit Money Laundering (F4), recording a victory for the local authorities in their ongoing battle to protect the community.
