State Police and cannabis regulators shut a Rome, NY boutique accused of selling psilocybin mushrooms
State Police say a metaphysical and new age boutique in Rome, Oneida County, was a front for illegal psilocybin mushroom and cannabis sales; the April 8 search ended in felony charges and an OCM padlock. It shows that a storefront selling psilocybin in New York is breaking the law whatever it calls itself, upstate as well as in the city.
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Rome, N.Y., April 8, 2026. Members of the New York State Police Troop D Violent Gang and Narcotics Enforcement Team, with help from the Rome Police Department and the state Office of Cannabis Management, executed a search warrant on April 8, 2026 at Mothra Madness, 303 Erie Blvd. W., Suite 2, in Rome. The State Police described the business as "a metaphysical and new age boutique offering rare gemstones, tarot decks, books, and ritual tools" that was "alleged to be operating as a front for the sale of illegal psilocybin mushrooms and cannabis products."1
What police and regulators seized
| Item | Amount reported | Seized by |
|---|---|---|
| Psilocybin mushrooms | About 800 grams | State and local police1, 2 |
| Cannabis | Over 5 pounds | Search team1 |
| Concentrated cannabis | Over 10 pounds | Search team1 |
| THC vape devices | Hundreds | Search team1 |
| THC edibles | Several pounds | Office of Cannabis Management1 |
| Flavored nicotine vapes | 314 | Oneida County Department of Health1, 2 |
Who was charged, and with what
The State Police charged the store's two owners with criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fifth degree, a Class D felony, and criminal possession of cannabis in the second degree, a Class E felony. Both were arraigned in Oneida County's centralized arraignment (CAP) court and released on their own recognizance. Two employees who were present during the search were each charged with conspiracy in the fifth degree, a Class A misdemeanor, and given appearance tickets for Rome City Court on April 23, 2026.1 We aren't naming them: they are private people, and charges are accusations, not findings of guilt. We found no news coverage of the case beyond the two agency releases, and no public report of how the charges were resolved, as of November 2, 2026.
What fifth-degree possession means under Penal Law article 220, and the sentences it can carry, is set out on our penalties page.
Why the cannabis regulator padlocked it
In an April 20 release, OCM said the location "was immediately padlocked" after the search, and a photo caption shows its Notice of Violation posted outside the shop.2 OCM says a Notice of Violation "outlines the alleged violations and starts the administrative hearing process."2 As of that release, OCM said it had padlocked 591 illicit shops across the state.2
OCM's role is cannabis: the agency describes itself as enforcing "the State's cannabis laws."2 The psilocybin charges came from the State Police under the Penal Law. A cannabis license, or a sign promising wellness or new age goods, doesn't make psilocybin sales legal; our guide to mushroom dispensaries in NYC explains why no storefront in the state can sell it legally, and is psilocybin legal in New York covers the law.
Officials quoted in the OCM release framed the case around the cannabis market and controlled substances. "When we address illicit activity, we are safeguarding consumers," said John Kagia, OCM's acting executive director. State Police Superintendent Steven G. James said operations like this "prevent dangerous and unregulated products from reaching the public."2
For a New York City case from the same month, see our post on the Bronx psilocybin seizure.
Sources
- Multi-Agency investigation leads to arrests and seizures at Rome business. New York State Police, April 9, 2026.
- ICYMI: OCM partners with state and local law enforcement to shut down illicit cannabis sales in Rome. New York State Office of Cannabis Management, April 20, 2026.
Keep reading
Is there a legal mushroom dispensary in NYC?No. What NYC's shroom shops are, the raids that hit them, what lab tests found and why "licensed" means nothing here.
What are the penalties for psilocybin in New York?Every Penal Law 220 charge that reaches psilocybin, with weights, classes, sentences, diversion and sealing.
Are shrooms legal in New York?No: psilocybin is Schedule I in New York, any amount is a crime and nowhere in the state has decriminalized it.
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