Stay updated with breaking news from Elijah stai. Get real-time updates on events, politics, business, and more. Visit us for reliable news and exclusive interviews.
FARGO -- Wesley Sweeney, Manvel, N.D., pleaded guilty Friday in federal court here to a drug conspiracy charge, admitting he gave illegal synthetic drugs to a Grand Forks man in June, causing his death.
activists, getting out the word on the dangers of synthetic drugs. thanks to their efforts north dakota has put in new legislation banning a number of synthetics, and federally the drug that killed christian and elijah is now on the list of banned substances. >> the stuff is not safe just because you can order it on the internet. don't be fooled by that. don't put yourself and your family in the position that these families in grand forks found themselves. talk to your kids, that synthetic drugs are dangerous. all drugs are dangerous. >> this was done for the memorial for eli. his friend signed that. that came. >> the family of elijah stai say they do hope their son's death can be a warning to others about the dangers of synthetic designer drugs. >> our lives were turned upside down. our lives will never be the same. i don't know if you can really put something like that into words, what your life is like after you lose a kid. it's a horrific thing to ever have to go through for any parent. eli was a good kid. this can happen to any family.
christian bjerk and elijah stai came wrapped, stamped, and delivered right to spofford's door. >> he had a fairly good working knowledge of the substances, the potency of the substances, and what dosage units would be common for typical user amounts. >> what spofford didn't know was he was getting ripped off in a crime that would set off a deadly chain of events. one of his customers, adam budge, had broken into spofford's home and stolen a bag of white powder. without knowing exactly what was inside that bag or just how potent it was. budge melted the powder into chocolate that he gave to his new friends, including elijah stai. budge also sold some of the same drug to a young man who would share it with christian bjerk. >> adam budge early on in the investigation was the common link between these two overdose victims. adam budge prepared the 2ci-nbome in some chocolates and
handle it and smart enough to think that your customers knew what the hell they were doing. >> that's right. >> he is the 15th person so far to be prosecuted under the north dakota federal drug case now called "operation stolen youth" that began with the deaths of christian bjerk and elijah stai. andrew spofford, who bought the drugs online from charles carlton. adam budge, who got the drugs from spofford. the teen who bought the drugs from budge and shared them with christian bjerk, and several low-level dealers are all behind bars. >> fans, let's hear it one more time for all our 2011 senior athletes and trainers. >> i know exactly what he was saying to me. he was actually telling me he was hungry and he wanted to eat right after the game.
substance that exists, as long as it's not scheduled they will manufacture it for you specifically. it's called a custom synthesis. and ship it to you. >> charles carlton, who sold the drugs that killed elijah stai and christian bjerk, says he used the internet to buy much of his supply in bulk from china. >> there are a lot of brokers as well. like you'll order from a guy in poland and receive a package from china. >> and is it all labeled as research chemical not for human consumption when you get it? >> for the most part, yes. >> shanghai, china's largest city. its towering waterfront and bustling streets. it is also home to chemical companies churning out synthetics, or pure poison. in the emerging global market of the synthetic drug world the
for additional information, but the visas have not been granted. requests for an interview or comment from china's ambassador here in the u.s. have gone unanswered. >> this is the funeral for eli and -- >> alyssa katz, elijah stai's mother, doesn't understand what there is to negotiate. chinese factories are making a fortune, she says, selling poison. >> what would you like to say to them? >> how dare you come into my country and sell drugs to our children? >> do you think they care? >> no. they don't care. >> cnn has learned the synthetic drugs that killed melissa's son, elijah, and christian bjerk were most likely made in china. and so far there appears to be
>> you were really dripping. >> yeah, ift like oh, my good, this is getting really intense. >> down stair, elijah was starting to convulse. >> adam was down there with eli. he told me that eli was going into a bad trip. i asked him, do we need to call 911? he said no, it's just mushrooms. he's going to be find. he's just going in a bad trip. >> he started to foam at the mouth, yelling. i guess he was hitting his head, convulsing uncontrollably. finally, the police were called. >> i started to assist with cpr. with the effects of the drugs, i just wasn't able to do it. his face started to contort because of the drugs. it really messed me up. i told him i was going to wait outside for 911 to direct them in. i couldn't see them like that. >> he was dead. >> he was dead. >> we got the phone call that
substances including synthetic cannabinoids, a hallucinogenic tryptamine. >> how dangerous is this from a chemical compound situation? >> quite dangerous. there's a whole range of reported effects ranging from rapid or irregular heartbeat, hallucinogenic effects, seizures, psychosis. there have been several reported suicides. >> and in grand forks, north dakota the deaths of elijah stai and christian bjerk. it turns out the drugs that killed elijah and christian arrived in grand forks by mail. purchased over the internet by a local drug dealer. >> he was one of the primary sources of supply for controlled substances in this area. >> but finding that dealer would turn out to be only the beginning in unraveling this deadly mystery which was about to take yet another turn.
CNN Special Report-20151107-05:54:15 archive.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from archive.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.