Camden County sheriff says hundreds of pounds of drugs seized in connection with Gathering of the Juggalos

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Camden County Sheriff's Office said Thursday that deputies have seized hundreds of pounds of drugs from people associated with the Gathering of the Juggalos festival at Macks Creek.

The busts were made in partnership with the Mid-Missouri Drug Task Force, the sheriff's office said in a news release.

The release, signed by Sheriff Chris Edgar, says the festival has brought an influx of out-of-state visitors bringing "illegal drugs to our community." Edgar wrote that authorities were working to make the event as "painless" for locals as possible.

The gathering, the 26th festival of its kind headed by musical act Insane Clown Posse, began Wednesday.

One of the arrests listed in the sheriff's release is Kevin M. Jones, 45, of Easton, Pennsylvania, who is known at the festival as "Bluntman." He was allegedly busted with 128 pounds of marijuana and 2.5 pounds of mushrooms. Jones was charged with first-degree drug trafficking and felony drug distribution, and remained jailed Thursday without bond.

Dennis A. Pradham, 49, of Silver Springs, Maryland, was arrested and charged with first-degree trafficking and three counts of drug distribution after deputies found 93 pounds of marijuana, 124 pounds of mushrooms, 135.5 grams of ketamine, 33 grams of a ketamine/fentanyl mixture, and 66.5 grams of MDMA, according to the release.

The sheriff says Robyn W. Weiford, 34, and Jesse A. Williams, 38, both of Bear, Delaware, were charged with drug distribution and released on $50,000 bond after deputies found 40 pounds of THC edibles.

The event at Mother Nature's Riverfront Retreat takes place through Saturday.