Wilmer Castillo Garcia, 22, a Guatemalan national accused in the William Floyd Middle School gummy incident, was arrested at the Lewiston Bridge while trying to enter Canada, Suffolk prosecutors said. The arrest caps months of investigation that began after students were sickened at the Moriches middle school in March 2025. Prosecutors have asked that he be returned to Long Island to face state narcotics and child endangerment charges.
According to a press release from the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office, Castillo Garcia was indicted in August 2025 on counts including Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, Criminal Possession in the Third and Seventh Degrees, and Endangering the Welfare of a Child. Investigators say the case is tied to alleged sales to an undercover officer in May 2025, and the top count carries up to nine years in prison. The office also notes that those particular counts are not bail eligible under current New York law, a point prosecutors have openly criticized.
The investigation launched after about a dozen William Floyd Middle School students were evaluated at area hospitals following ingestion of marijuana-infused gummies, as initially reported by AP News. The students experienced vomiting, dizziness and rapid heart rates, prompting a rapid response from school staff and emergency personnel that morning.
Suffolk County police arrested Castillo Garcia at his Mastic residence in late May 2025, and he subsequently appeared in court on related narcotics charges, NBC New York reported. He walked out of that appearance on supervised release while the broader investigation into the gummies and alleged drug sales continued.
Arrest At The Canadian Border
Prosecutors say Castillo Garcia was detained at the Lewiston Bridge north of Niagara Falls on Oct. 4, 2025, while attempting to cross into Canada and was placed into Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody for deportation proceedings, according to Daily Voice. Suffolk County authorities asked federal immigration officials to return him to Long Island so he can face the state charges in Suffolk County.
"Our prosecutors had no legal mechanism to ask for the court to set bail," District Attorney Ray Tierney said, and the DA added that Castillo Garcia was "allegedly caught while attempting to flee across the border into Canada," Daily Voice reported. The comment followed the office's earlier indictment announcement and underscored prosecutors' frustration with non‑bail‑eligible charges in this case.
Why Edibles Are Especially Dangerous For Kids
Health experts warn that edible cannabis products can look like regular candy and often contain larger, longer-lasting doses of THC, which has driven a national increase in accidental pediatric exposures. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and medical literature document a marked rise in emergency department visits and poison control calls tied to edibles since recreational legalization in multiple states, and New York poison centers have reported rising exposure calls in recent years. The CDC offers guidance on cannabis poisoning risks and prevention for families and clinicians.
Legal Next Steps
Castillo Garcia faces state felony and misdemeanor counts that prosecutors say include multiple third degree sale and possession charges, as well as endangering a child, which together could carry significant prison time if he is convicted, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office. Syndicated coverage of the DA's statement notes he remains in the Suffolk County jail pending a court appearance scheduled for mid May 2026 and that prosecutors have requested his transfer back from ICE custody so state proceedings can move forward. The DA's Narcotics Bureau and Suffolk County Police led the investigation and will handle the prosecution.
