Eureka man guilty of running magic mushroom grow operation
Zachary Luther Davis appeared Oct. 28, 2024, in Lincoln County District Court. (Paul Sievers/The Western News)
A Eureka man accused of operating a psilocybin mushroom grow operation in his home was found guilty last week in a jury trial in Lincoln County District Court.
According to court documents, a jury delivered the guilty verdicts to Zachary Luther Davis, 38, Wednesday, May 7, following about 40 minutes of deliberation.
Davis was guilty of two felonies, criminal production and manufacture of dangerous drugs and criminal possession of dangerous drugs.
Davis remains free as he posted $50,000 bail prior to the trial.
A conviction for criminal production or manufacture of dangerous drugs may result in a maximum 25-year term in the Montana State Prison. A conviction on the possession charge may result in a 5-year prison term.
Court filings indicate the trial began May 6 with brief opening statements by public defender Scott B. Johnson and deputy county attorney Jeff Zwang.
Zwang’s case saw testimony by county sheriff’s office Sgt. Bo Pitman, Amber Trochta, a forensic chemist with the Montana State Crime Lab, and county deputy Clint Heintz.
Zwang rested his case at 3:30 p.m. and Johnson sought a directed verdict on the manufacturing charge. Zwang argued against, citing the evidence that was introduced.
District Judge Matt Cuffe denied Johnson’s motion. The attorney then called Davis to testify. After about 35 minutes of testimony, the defense rested and the day’s proceedings ended.
May 7, jury members heard closing arguments before deliberating.
Cuffe ordered a pre-sentence investigation for Davis and scheduled his sentencing for June 30.
The case began when Davis was arrested at his home Oct. 9, 2024, on Therriault Creek Road by county deputy Bo Pitman.
In the probable cause statement, Pitman wrote that law enforcement had information that Davis was growing psilocybin mushrooms. The officer got a warrant to search the property and found 18.7 grams of the illegal mushrooms.
Pitman said Davis allegedly admitted the mushrooms were psilocybin, also known as magic mushrooms.
Pitman said he and other officers located what they believed to be a mushroom grow operation in the upstairs of the garage. They contacted the Northwest Drug Task Force and sent photos to it. Officials determined it was a cultivating/manufacturing operation.