Grand jury indicts man on 40 drug, sex charges after 15-year-old's death

DENVER (KDVR) — A Boulder County man was arrested on a grand jury indictment of 40 charges, including 21 drug felonies for distributing drugs and alcohol to minors, in addition to sexual charges involving minors.

On Wednesday, the 20th Judicial District Attorney's Office announced that Benjamin Harmon, 24, was arrested on Oct. 19. The office said a police investigation started when a 15-year-old to whom Harmon had distributed psilocybin fell from a crane at a construction site after ingesting the drug.

The site was on property owned by the University of Colorado, so campus police investigated the death along with the district attorney's office and the Boulder County Drug Task Force.

Initially, Harmon was charged with distribution of a controlled substance to a minor, in addition to attempted distribution of a controlled substance to a minor, because he appeared at a pre-set meeting coordinated by investigators through the minor's phone. Harmon was under the impression he was meeting up with a minor to sell more drugs.

Investigators gained access to Harmon's social media and bank accounts, leading them to locate at least 19 other underage victims to whom Harmon had distributed drugs. Police said Harmon also sexually assaulted one of the minors at gunpoint and obtained child sexual abuse materials from another.

“The loved ones of the 15-year-old boy who was killed continue to suffer from a terrible and tragic loss," said Colorado's 20th Judicial District Attorney Michael Dougherty in a release. "The extensive investigation into his death has led the CU Police Department, Drug Task Force, and DA team to identify other kids being harmed and exploited through drug distribution conducted over a social media app. We are strongly committed to securing the right outcome in this case.”

Police are worried there may be further victims. All victims reflected in current charges are high school students in Boulder County, according to law enforcement, and parents have been notified of the investigation and prosecution.

If someone you know, or yourself, is a victim of sexual assault at the hands of Benjamin Harmon, the DA's office is encouraging you to call CU police's non-emergency number at 303-492-6666 and reference case number 2024-1101.

Harmon is currently in police custody on a cash bond of $2 million, according to court records. He is scheduled to make an appearance on bond on Nov. 5 in Boulder County District Court.