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Authorities allege that Tulane University students Jules Staib and Wyatt Silverman, both 19, accepted a package containing the drug commonly known as "Molly" at this house, the Kappa Sigma fraternity house, in Uptown New Orleans on Friday, Feb. 22, 2013. This photograph was taken on Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013.
(Photo by Ramon Antonio Vargas, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune)
Nineteen-year-old Tulane University students Jules Staib and Wyatt Silverman allegedly accepted a package containing the drug commonly known as "Molly" at the off-campus Kappa Sigma fraternity house in Uptown early Friday afternoon. The only problem is that the courier was an undercover law enforcement agent, according to authorities.
A subsequent search of Staib's and Silverman's bedrooms unveiled weed, psychedelic mushrooms, LSD, the psychedelic drug DMT, opium, powdered cocaine and narcotics paraphernalia, a State Police trooper wrote in an affidavit filed in New Orleans criminal court. Staib and Silverman were jailed and accused of a variety of state drug offenses, including possession with intent to distribute "Molly" MDMA, a more pure form of ecstasy.
Asked to comment on the case, Tulane spokesman Mike Strecker on Tuesday wrote in a statement that any students suspected of non-academic misconduct must undergo a disciplinary hearing process. Meanwhile, in a statement, Kappa Sigma spokesman Scott R. Bickford said other members of the fraternity were not aware of Staib's and Silverman's alleged actions and cooperated with police.
"Unfortunately, two promising Tulane sophomores who rented individual rooms in the house apparently made some very bad decisions which may affect them for a lifetime," Bickford wrote. "The members of the fraternity have been shocked and surprised by these events."
Bickford said the fraternity has moved to expel Staib and Silverman from the organization as well as evict them from the premises.
State Police say they were working alongside the Department of Homeland Security Customs and Border Protection as well as the U.S. Postal Service and learned of a package containing 107 grams of MDMA sent to the Kappa Sigma house in the 600 block of Broadway Street. In an affidavit, a state trooper reported that an undercover agent conducted a controlled delivery of MDMA to the house about 12:45 p.m. Friday. After Staib and Silverman accepted it, agents searched their bedrooms, court papers say.
Allegedly, in Staib's bedroom there were 21.6 grams of marijuana, 68.7 grams of psilocybin mushrooms, 46 doses of LSD, .91 grams of DMT, 47.6 grams of opium and paraphernalia. Court papers allege that the MDMA was located in Silverman's room, where there were also .75 grams of powdered cocaine, 11 doses of LSD, .25 grams of marijuana and paraphernalia.
Aside from possession with intent to distribute MDMA, Staib and Silverman were each booked with possession of LSD, possession of marijuana and unlawful use or possession of drug paraphernalia.
Staib, of Baton Rouge, was also booked with possession of psilocybin mushrooms, possession of opiates and possession of DMT, records show. Silverman, of Pittsburgh, was also booked with possession of cocaine.
Magistrate Commissioner Juana Lombard on Saturday released Staib on his own recognizance in lieu of $33,500 bail. Magistrate Commissioner Harry Cantrell set a $23,000 bail for Silverman.
Staib's attorney is Robert Jenkins. It does not appear that Silverman had retained anyone as of Tuesday afternoon.
Bickford said Staib and Silverman will have disgraced Kappa Sigma if the allegations against them are eventually proven true. "It has placed the fraternity in a bad light in its neighborhood," Bickford continued. "It is truly a sad day."
Troopers who participated in the arrests of Silverman Staib are assigned to the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Task Force, State Police said. The task force is part of a program that enhances and coordinates drug control efforts among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, State Police explained.
Note: This post was edited to include updated information from statements issued by Tulane spokesman Mike Strecker, State Police and Kappa Sigma spokesman Scott R. Bickford.